Business and Economy



EU 'expects' US to honour trade deal as Trump hikes tariffs

AFP - 5h ago

The European Commission called Sunday for Washington to abide by the terms of the trade deal struck last year with the …

US says trade deals in force despite court ruling on tariffs

AFP - 5h ago

US trade deals with the European Union, China and other partners remain in force despite the Supreme Court ruling that …

Trump hikes US global tariff rate to 15 percent

AFP - 14h ago

President Donald Trump raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15 percent on Saturday, doubling down …

Brazil's Lula urges Trump to treat all countries equally

AFP - 15h ago

Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged Donald Trump on Sunday to treat all countries equally after the US …

Copper, a coveted metal boosting miners

AFP - 13h ago

BHP, Glencore and Teck Resources -- three mining giants whose annual results have revealed significantly increased …

Indigenous protesters occupy Cargill port terminal in Brazil

AFP - 19h ago

Indigenous protesters in Brazil occupied a shipping terminal operated by US agricultural giant Cargill on Saturday, …

AI agent invasion has people trying to pick winners

AFP - 20h ago

An onslaught of artificial intelligence agents that handle tasks from writing code to dispensing tax advice has the tech …

'Solar sheep' help rural Australia go green, one panel at a time

AFP - 20h ago

Australian farmer Tom Warren's solar panels look like any other -- until you spot the dozens of sheep grazing and …

Trump hikes US global tariff rate to 15%

Feb 21 2026

President Donald Trump raised the global duty on imports into the United States to 15 percent on Saturday, doubling down …

Brazil, India ink critical minerals deal as leaders meet

Feb 21 2026

India and Brazil agreed to boost cooperation on critical minerals and rare earths on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra …

Global summit calls for 'secure, trustworthy and robust AI'

Feb 21 2026

Dozens of nations including the United States and China called for "secure, trustworthy and robust" artificial …

Trump imposes 10% global tariff after stinging court rebuke

Feb 21 2026

President Donald Trump imposed Friday an additional 10 percent tariff on imports into the United States after the …

Brazil, India eye critical minerals deal as leaders meet

Feb 21 2026

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva were holding talks in New Delhi …

Battered by Gaza war, Israel's tech sector in recovery mode

Feb 21 2026

Israel's vital tech sector, dragged down by the war in Gaza, is showing early signs of recovery, buoyed by a surge in …

Xbox boss Phil Spencer retires as Microsoft shakes up gaming unit

Feb 20 2026

Microsoft on Friday put out word that Xbox stalwart Phil Spencer is retiring, in a shakeup of leadership at the tech …

What's next after US Supreme Court tariff ruling?

Feb 20 2026

The Supreme Court's striking down of President Donald Trump's global tariffs, while a relief to many, heralds more …

Trump unleashes personal assault on 'disloyal' Supreme Court justices

Feb 20 2026

US President Donald Trump launched an extraordinary personal attack Friday on the Supreme Court justices who struck down …

Stocks rise after court ruling against US tariffs

Feb 20 2026

Wall Street stocks advanced Friday as markets digested a US Supreme Court decision striking down some of the White …

Trump vows 10% global tariff after stinging court rebuke

Feb 20 2026

President Donald Trump vowed Friday to charge an additional 10 percent tariff on imports into the United States after …

'Not the end': Small US firms wary but hopeful on tariff upheaval

Feb 20 2026

Small American businesses warned Friday that a tougher trade landscape was here to stay, as the Supreme Court's …

US Supreme Court strikes down Trump global tariffs

Feb 20 2026

The US Supreme Court on Friday ruled Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs illegal -- a stunning rebuke of the …

US Supreme Court strikes down swath of Trump global tariffs

Feb 20 2026

The US Supreme Court ruled Friday that Donald Trump exceeded his authority in imposing a swath of tariffs that upended …

Stocks volatile after soft US growth data, court ruling against tariffs

Feb 20 2026

Stocks moved higher Friday, with Wall Street recovering early losses spurred by weaker-than-expected US growth after the …

US GDP growth misses expectations as Trump blames shutdown

Feb 20 2026

US economic growth cooled much more than expected in the final months of 2025, government estimates showed Friday, …

Germany's Merz to visit China next week

Feb 20 2026

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz will visit China next week for talks with President Xi Jinping centred on trade between …

X appeals EU's 120-mn-euro fine over digital content violations

Feb 20 2026

Elon Musk's X social media platform said Friday that it had filed an appeal with the European Union's top court against …

'Alpha male' AI world shuts out women: computing prof Hall

Feb 20 2026

Artificial intelligence could change the world but the dearth of women in the booming sector will undermine pledges for …

Turkey, Saudi sign major solar power deal

Feb 20 2026

Saudi Arabia will help Turkey build solar plants capable of powering more than two million homes, under a deal the two …

European stocks rebound, oil prices ease after US-Iran volatility

Feb 20 2026

European stocks rebounded and oil prices fell Friday as investors reassessed the chances of a US strike on Iran, after …

Stocks mixed, oil rises after Trump Iran threat

Feb 20 2026

Equities were mixed and oil prices rose on Friday after Donald Trump ratcheted up Middle East tensions by hinting at …

Stocks drop, oil rises after Trump Iran threat

Feb 20 2026

Most Asia equities fell and oil prices rose on Friday after Donald Trump ratcheted up Middle East tensions by hinting at …

Victorious Takaichi promises 'strong and prosperous' Japan

Feb 20 2026

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi pledged Friday to make Japan "strong and prosperous", while hitting out at China and …

Striking Argentine workers clash with police in protest over labor reforms

Feb 20 2026

Shops and supermarkets closed, flights were canceled and garbage piled up Thursday as Argentine workers staged their …

Nvidia nears deal for scaled-down investment in OpenAI: report

Feb 20 2026

Nvidia is on the cusp of investing $30 billion in OpenAI, scaling back a plan to pump $100 billion into the ChatGPT …

Japan inflation eases in welcome news for PM Takaichi

Feb 20 2026

Japanese inflation slowed in January, government data showed Friday, in welcome news for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi …

Japan inflation eases in welcome news for Takaichi

Feb 20 2026

Japanese inflation slowed in January, government data showed Friday, in welcome news for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi …

Oil extends gains on US-Iran tensions, stocks retreat

Feb 19 2026

Oil prices rose to multi-month highs while global stocks mostly retreated as markets weighed sharpening rhetoric from …

US Fed Governor Miran scales back call for rate cuts this year

Feb 19 2026

US Federal Reserve Governor Stephen Miran has scaled back his expectations of how much the central bank should lower …

Striking Argentine workers slow down Buenos Aires in protest over labor reforms

Feb 19 2026

Shops and supermarkets closed, public transport was scarce and garbage went uncollected Thursday as Argentine workers …

Airbus ready to build two new European fighters if countries want

Feb 19 2026

Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain in the multibillion-euro FCAS warplane program, will support a proposal to …

Canada makes push to attract skilled migrants, including for defence

Feb 19 2026

Canada has launched a new program to attract highly skilled immigrants, including specialized military recruits, as it …

Walmart outlines big AI ambitions as it reports mixed results

Feb 19 2026

Walmart's newly installed leadership team on Thursday emphasized plans to build up artificial intelligence integration, …

TotalEnergies in high-stakes French trial over climate change

Feb 19 2026

TotalEnergies faces cutting back oil and gas production if NGOs prevail in a trial that began Thursday over accusations …

US trade deficit in goods widens to new record in 2025

Feb 19 2026

The US trade deficit in goods expanded to a new record in 2025, government data showed Thursday, despite sweeping …

Argentine workers go on strike to protest Milei's labor reforms

Feb 19 2026

Shops and supermarkets closed, public transport was scarce and garbage went uncollected Thursday as Argentine workers …

Olympics rev up Milan's renewal but locals fear price to pay

Feb 19 2026

The Winter Olympics are expected to accelerate Milan's transformation into a vibrant international metropolis -- but …

Repsol says could boost Venezuela oil output over 50% in 12 months

Feb 19 2026

The boss of Spanish energy giant Repsol said Thursday that his company could boost oil production in Venezuela by more …

Oil extends gains on US-Iran tensions, Europe stocks slide

Feb 19 2026

Oil prices pushed higher Thursday on worries that nuclear talks between United States and Iran might not avert a new …

Airbus ready to build two new European fighter jets if 'customers' ask

Feb 19 2026

Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain in the multibillion-euro FCAS warplane programme, will support a proposal to …

Summit photo op fails to unite AI startup rivals

Feb 19 2026

Tech bro rivalry is real, or at least it is for Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, the CEOs of two leading US artificial …

Turkey fires up coal pollution even as it hosts COP31

Feb 19 2026

Kaddafi Polat rarely mentions his own health after decades of breathing the polluted air blanketing his village beneath …

Private companies seek to import fuel amid Cuban energy crisis

Feb 19 2026

Faced with a severe energy crisis exacerbated by US sanctions, private companies in Cuba are attempting to import fuel …

Asian markets rally after Wall St tech-led gains

Feb 19 2026

Tech firms led gains across Asian equities Thursday following a positive lead from Wall Street, where traders also …

Airbus planning record commercial aircraft deliveries in 2026

Feb 19 2026

Plane maker Airbus aims to deliver a record number of commercial aircraft this year, the company said Thursday, …

General strike to protest Milei's labor reforms starts in Argentina

Feb 19 2026

Argentina's Javier Milei faces the fourth general strike of his term Thursday, this time by workers protesting a labor …

Zuckerberg grilled over underage users at social media trial

Feb 19 2026

CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Wednesday he regretted Meta's slow progress in identifying underage users on Instagram, as he …

Walmart results expected to highlight big plans for AI

Feb 19 2026

Fresh off of achieving a $1 trillion market value, Walmart will report earnings Thursday as markets look for signs the …

Oil prices jump on toughening US posture on Iran as US stocks advance

Feb 18 2026

Global stock markets rose Wednesday as traders assessed company earnings and economic data, while oil prices surged more …

Zuckerberg tells jury regrets slow progress on spotting under-13s on Instagram

Feb 18 2026

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said he regretted the slow progress his company made in identifying underage users …

Global stocks, oil rise tracking company earnings, data

Feb 18 2026

Global stock markets rose Wednesday as traders assessed company earnings and economic data, while oil prices barreled …

Zuckerberg to testify in landmark social media addiction trial

Feb 18 2026

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg arrived at a Los Angeles court on Wednesday to testify at a groundbreaking social media …

Global stocks rise tracking company earnings, data

Feb 18 2026

Global stock markets rose Wednesday as traders assessed company earnings and economic data, while oil prices ticked …

Glencore still open to 'mega-miner' deal after Rio collapse

Feb 18 2026

Swiss resources giant Glencore is still open to a transformative merger with another mining group, its CEO said …

New tech and AI set to take athlete data business to next level

Feb 18 2026

From tracking the trajectory and speed of a footballer's strike to monitoring a Tour de France rider's real-time power …

Germany's Merz casts doubt on European fighter jet plan

Feb 18 2026

Germany does not need the same new fighter jets as France, Chancellor Friedrich Merz said Wednesday, signalling that …

US tech giants announce India deals at AI summit

Feb 18 2026

Google said it would build new subsea cables from India and chip titan Nvidia unveiled tie-ups with computing firms on …

European stocks rise tracking company earnings, data

Feb 18 2026

European stock markets rose Wednesday as traders assessed company earnings and economic data, while oil prices ticked …

Greek taxis kick off two-day strike against private operators

Feb 18 2026

Taxi drivers in Greece on Wednesday kicked off a two-day nationwide strike over new rules which they say excessively …

'Climate cult' hurts Europe's economy, US energy secretary tells AFP

Feb 18 2026

A "climate cult" has weighed on Europe's economy, US Energy Secretary Chris Wright told AFP on Tuesday, adding that the …

US tech giant Nvidia announces India deals at AI summit

Feb 18 2026

US artificial intelligence chip titan Nvidia unveiled tie-ups with Indian computing firms on Wednesday as tech companies …

Asian stocks up, oil market cautious

Feb 18 2026

Asian stocks mostly rose Wednesday, while the oil market was cautious after prices dropped in the wake of Tehran's …

Uncut gems: Indian startups embrace AI despite job fears

Feb 18 2026

Glinting under the exhibition centre lights, the gold brooch studded with gemstones on the startup founder's lapel was …

How Latin American countries are responding to Cuba's oil crisis

Feb 18 2026

The US oil embargo on Cuba has drawn varied responses across Latin America, ranging from offers of aid and political …

UK manufacturers struggle under sky-high energy bills

Feb 18 2026

Molten glass drops through chutes before being blown into bottles at manufacturer Encirc's northwest England plant, …

Oil prices fall back as 'hopeful' Tehran responds to Trump

Feb 17 2026

Shares vacillated and oil prices dropped back down Tuesday as Tehran gave an encouraging response during talks with US …

Bayer proposes class settlement for weedkiller cancer claims

Feb 17 2026

German agrichemical giant Bayer said Tuesday its subsidiary Monsanto had proposed a class settlement of up to $7.25 …

Greenland entrepreneur gambles on leafy greens

Feb 17 2026

Growing lettuce in the Arctic as a business venture? One Greenland entrepreneur believes in the idea, selling his house …

Warner Bros. gives Paramount one week to outbid Netflix

Feb 17 2026

Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday it will give Paramount Skydance a week to sweeten its buyout offer for the storied …

Warner Bros. says reopening talks with Paramount on its buyout offer

Feb 17 2026

Warner Bros. Discovery said Tuesday it has reopened talks with Paramount Skydance on its buyout offer, giving the …

AI 'arms race' risks human extinction, warns top computing expert

Feb 17 2026

Tech CEOs are locked in an artificial intelligence "arms race" that risks wiping out humanity, top computer science …

'Made in Europe' or 'Made with Europe'? Buy European push splits bloc

Feb 17 2026

Everyone in Europe agrees the EU needs to rescue its industry but the bloc is split over how far it should push a 'Buy …

Oil prices rise as Trump ramps up Iran threats

Feb 17 2026

Oil prices rose Tuesday after US President Donald Trump ramped up threats towards large crude producer Iran, as the two …

EU investigates Shein over sale of childlike sex dolls

Feb 17 2026

The EU on Tuesday opened an investigation into the online retail giant Shein over the sale of childlike sex dolls and …

Oil in spotlight as Trump's Iran warning rattles sleepy markets

Feb 17 2026

Oil prices were in focus Tuesday as US President Donald Trump ramped up threats towards Iran, shaking up markets subdued …

France's Macron eyes fighter jet deal in India

Feb 17 2026

French President Emmanuel Macron will meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Mumbai on Tuesday, as he begins a …

Doctors, tourism, tobacco: Cuba buckling under US pressure

Feb 17 2026

Cuba's already shattered economy is being assailed on various fronts as US President Donald Trump has vowed to bring the …

Copper powers profit surge at Australia's BHP

Feb 16 2026

Australian resources giant BHP reported Tuesday a jump in half-year net profit boosted by demand for copper to meet the …

Stocks mixed, dollar up in subdued start to week

Feb 16 2026

European stock markets traded mixed and the dollar advanced in thin holiday trading Monday following a subdued showing …

Dutch inventor of hit game 'Kapla' dead at 80: family

Feb 16 2026

The Dutch inventor of hit wooden construction game Kapla, which has entertained children and inspired architects for …

Gold rush grips South African township

Feb 16 2026

The pockmarked earth on Johannesburg's eastern fringe, until last week a humble cattle kraal ringed with barbed wire, …

AI chatbots to face UK safety rules after outcry over Grok

Feb 16 2026

The UK government said Monday that it would include AI chatbots in online safety laws, closing a loophole exposed after …

Spain unveils public investment fund to tackle housing crisis

Feb 16 2026

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Monday presented a new public investment fund that he said would raise 120 …

European stocks, dollar up in subdued start to week

Feb 16 2026

European stock markets and the dollar advanced Monday following a subdued showing for Asian equities ahead of the Lunar …

India hosts AI summit as safety concerns grow

Feb 16 2026

A global artificial intelligence summit kicked off in New Delhi on Monday with big issues on the agenda, from job …

Nepal 'addicted' to the trade in its own people

Feb 16 2026

Rudra Bahadur Kami returned to Nepal through a back door of Kathmandu airport in a battered coffin after working for …

ByteDance vows to boost safeguards after AI model infringement claims

Feb 16 2026

Chinese tech giant ByteDance said it was taking steps to "strengthen current safeguards" after Hollywood heavyweights …

Asian markets sluggish as Lunar New Year holiday looms

Feb 16 2026

Asian markets were subdued on Monday, as the extended Lunar New Year holiday approached and Japan reported lacklustre …

India forced to defend US trade deal as doubts mount

Feb 16 2026

India is scrambling to defend a new trade deal with the United States that critics have branded as a surrender to …

Art and the deal: market slump pushes galleries to the Gulf

Feb 16 2026

With global sales mired in a slump, art dealers have turned to buyers in the oil-rich Gulf, where culture sector …

New world for users and brands as ads hit AI chatbots

Feb 15 2026

The introduction of advertisements and sponsored content in chatbots has spawned privacy concerns for AI users as brands …

World copper rush promises new riches for Zambia

Feb 15 2026

Five years after becoming Africa's first Covid-era debt defaulter, Zambia is seeing a dramatic turnaround in fortunes as …