Business and Economy
Why is bitcoin plunging?
AFP - 14m ago
The value of bitcoin has fallen sharply since reaching record heights last month, briefly falling below $90,000 on …
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South Africa to host G20 summit boycotted by US
AFP - 1h ago
South Africa will host the G20 summit this weekend, aiming to secure commitments on debt relief for developing countries …
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Asian markets bounce as Nvidia takes centre stage amid AI bubble fears
AFP - 1h ago
Asian investors battled Wednesday to kickstart a recovery in equities following the latest stagger across world markets …
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India's Bollywood battles paid reviews and fake sale claims
AFP - 2h ago
India's $60-billion Bollywood industry is facing a deepening credibility crisis, as insiders warn that manipulated film …
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Ultra-processed foods a rising threat to health: researchers
AFP - 3h ago
Researchers warned Wednesday that rising global consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) poses a major threat to …
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Lula to return to COP30 as nations under pressure to land deal
Nov 18 2025
COP30 host Brazil pushed Tuesday for an early breakthrough at UN climate talks, with nations weighing a proposed deal …
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Global stocks in red over worries about tech and Nvidia
Nov 18 2025
Stock markets slid across the board on Tuesday as investors worried about lofty tech valuations on the eve of earnings …
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Cloudflare bug takes chunk of web offline
Nov 18 2025
Major websites including social network X and AI chatbot ChatGPT were disrupted on Tuesday after US online services …
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Meta wins major antitrust case as US judge rules no monopoly
Nov 18 2025
A US judge dismissed the federal government's antitrust lawsuit against Meta on Tuesday, ruling that the tech giant's …
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Germany hopes new data centre can help bring 'digital sovereignty'
Nov 18 2025
A new mega data centre is slated to rise in a rural stretch of eastern Germany in what backers hope is a starting point …
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French court says Perrier can keep marketing as 'natural mineral water'
Nov 18 2025
A French court on Tuesday said Perrier can keep selling its famed sparkling beverage as "natural mineral water", …
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Lula to return to COP30 as first draft climate deal lands
Nov 18 2025
COP30 host Brazil on Tuesday unveiled a first draft deal after UN climate talks stretched late into the night, seeking a …
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IMF gold sales among measures to tackle debt, says report for G20
Nov 18 2025
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed Tuesday a G20-commissioned report proposing the sale of some of the …
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Stocks edge down over worries about tech and Nvidia
Nov 18 2025
Stock markets slid across the board on Tuesday as investors worried about lofty tech valuations on the eve of earnings …
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Study finds 41% of EV drivers would avoid Tesla over politics
Nov 18 2025
More than 40 percent of electric car drivers worldwide would avoid owning a Tesla, the brand run by controversial …
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Eurogroup chief quits for World Bank senior role
Nov 18 2025
Pascal Donohoe, head of the Eurogroup panel of eurozone finance ministers, quit Tuesday to take up a senior job at the …
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COP-and-trade? Tariffs, carbon tax weigh on climate talks
Nov 18 2025
In Belem, the Brazilian city hosting COP30, it's hard to miss the BYD Dolphin Mini -- the Chinese hatchback that's …
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Amazon, Microsoft cloud services could face tougher EU rules
Nov 18 2025
Amazon and Microsoft cloud services could face stricter EU competition rules after Brussels on Tuesday launched probes …
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Europe looks to catch up with US in AI race at German digital summit
Nov 18 2025
Europe must strive to lead in the AI race, top officials urged Tuesday at a summit focused on propelling the region to …
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Stocks, bitcoin retreat with eyes on Nvidia
Nov 18 2025
Stock markets slid and bitcoin dropped under $90,000 Tuesday as investors worried about lofty tech valuations on the eve …
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Stock markets track Wall St down with Nvidia, US jobs in view
Nov 18 2025
Tokyo and Seoul led equity losses on Tuesday, while bitcoin fell below $90,000 as investors grow increasingly worried …
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TotalEnergies accused of Mozambique war crimes 'complicity'
Nov 18 2025
An NGO said Tuesday it had filed a legal complaint against TotalEnergies, accusing the French energy multinational of …
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Asian markets track Wall St down with Nvidia, US jobs in view
Nov 18 2025
Tokyo and Seoul led Asian equity losses Tuesday, while bitcoin extended its latest swoon as investors grow increasingly …
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Merz, Macron to push for European digital 'sovereignty'
Nov 18 2025
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron will join forces Tuesday to push for greater …
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Haitian gangs getting rich off murky market for baby eels
Nov 18 2025
Gangs in Haiti are profiting from a lucrative trade in baby eels caught in the crime-ridden country's rivers and …
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Shares in 'Baby Shark' studio jump on market debut
Nov 18 2025
Shares in the South Korean studio behind the ultra-catchy "Baby Shark" -- YouTube's most-viewed video -- surged as much …
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Carney's Liberals pass budget, avoiding snap Canada election
Nov 18 2025
Canada's government survived a confidence vote on Monday as parliament narrowly passed a budget Prime Minister Mark …
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Stocks gloomy on earnings and tech jitters, US rate worries
Nov 17 2025
Global stock markets pulled back Monday as traders awaited key earnings reports, notably from chip giant Nvidia, amid …
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Fate of Canada government hinges on tight budget vote
Nov 17 2025
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government faced potential collapse on Monday, with parliament set to vote …
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Stocks tepid on uncertainty over earnings, tech rally, US rates
Nov 17 2025
Global stock markets marked time Monday as traders awaited key earnings reports, notably from chip giant Nvidia, amid …
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Stocks lower on uncertainty over earnings, tech rally, US rates
Nov 17 2025
Global stock markets fell back Monday as traders awaited key earnings reports notably from chip giant Nvidia and amid …
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Trade tensions force EU to cut 2026 eurozone growth forecast
Nov 17 2025
The eurozone economy will grow less than expected next year, the EU executive predicted on Monday, as risks from …
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France makes 'historic' accord to sell Ukraine 100 warplanes
Nov 17 2025
France's President Emmanuel Macron and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday signed an accord for Kyiv …
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Emirates orders 65 more Boeing 777X planes despite delays
Nov 17 2025
Emirates, the Middle East's biggest airline, topped up its order of Boeing 777X planes on Monday despite years of …
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Stocks lower on uncertainty over tech rally, US rates
Nov 17 2025
Stock markets struggled on Monday on concerns the US Federal Reserve could hold off on further rate cuts this year and …
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Macron, Zelensky sign accord for Ukraine to buy French fighter jets
Nov 17 2025
France's President Emmanuel Macron and Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky Monday signed an accord for Kyiv to …
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EU predicts less eurozone 2026 growth due to trade tensions
Nov 17 2025
The EU on Monday cut its eurozone growth forecast for 2026 as risks from international trade and geopolitical tensions …
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Japan-China spat over Taiwan comments sinks tourism stocks
Nov 17 2025
Japanese tourism and retail shares dived on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid the tourist hotspot in a …
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Swiss growth suffered from US tariffs in Q3: data
Nov 17 2025
Switzerland's economy contracted in the third quarter of the year, suffering from high US tariffs which abruptly …
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Asian markets struggle as fears build over tech rally, US rates
Nov 17 2025
Asian markets were mixed Monday amid simmering concerns that the Federal Reserve will not cut interest rates as hoped …
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Japan-China spat sinks tourism stocks
Nov 17 2025
Japanese tourism and retail shares fell sharply on Monday after China warned its citizens to avoid travelling to the …
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Zelensky in Paris to seek air defence help for Ukraine
Nov 17 2025
Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Paris on Monday in a new bid to secure weaponry to defend his country …
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Greenpeace says French uranium being sent to Russia
Nov 17 2025
The Greenpeace environment group said Sunday that France was sending reprocessed uranium to Russia for treatment so it …
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Serbia avoiding 'confiscation' of Russian shares in oil firm NIS
Nov 16 2025
Serbia's president on Sunday said he wanted to avoid the "confiscation" of Russian shares in Serbian oil company NIS "at …
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Luxury houses eye India, but barriers remain
Nov 16 2025
The globe's biggest luxury brands have dreamt of India's vast consumer base for decades, but navigating the market has …
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Samsung plans $310 bn investment to power AI expansion
Nov 16 2025
South Korean conglomerate Samsung unveiled on Sunday a plan to invest $310 billion over the next five years mostly in …
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Budget coffee start-up leaves bitter taste in Berlin
Nov 16 2025
Instantly recognisable by their electric blue shop fronts, branches of LAP Coffee have become a common sight in Berlin's …
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Zelensky vows overhaul of Ukraine's scandal-hit energy firms
Nov 15 2025
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday announced an overhaul of state-owned energy companies, after a …
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BBC caught in crossfire of polarised political and media landscape
Nov 15 2025
Accused of being biased by some, defended as a champion of impartiality by others, the BBC is once again the subject of …
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Purdue Pharma to be dissolved as US judge says to approve bankruptcy
Nov 15 2025
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma, blamed for helping to fuel a deadly opioid crisis, said Friday that a US bankruptcy judge …
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UN regulator says shipping still wants to decarbonize -- despite US threats
Nov 15 2025
Threats, intimidation, harassment -- the tactics deployed by US negotiators to stall a global deal on shipping pollution …
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Trump signs order to lower tariffs on beef, coffee, other goods
Nov 14 2025
President Donald Trump signed an order Friday to lower US tariffs on agricultural imports such as beef, bananas, coffee …
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Stocks struggle on US rates, tech rally fears
Nov 14 2025
Global stock markets struggled for momentum Friday as doubts built over whether the US Federal Reserve would cut …
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BHP liable for 2015 Brazil mine disaster: UK court
Nov 14 2025
A British court ruled Friday that Australian mining giant BHP is liable for one of Brazil's worst environmental …
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Return to bad days of hyperinflation looms in Venezuela
Nov 14 2025
Venezuelans are grappling with political and economic chaos, a mass population exodus and fears of a US military attack. …
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US airspace recovers as budget shutdown ends
Nov 14 2025
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Thursday that US air travel is recovering after the disruptions caused by the …
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US, Switzerland say deal reached on trade and tariffs
Nov 14 2025
The United States and Switzerland said Friday that they have reached an agreement to sharply lower tariffs imposed by …
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Bulgaria names manager to take over Russia's Lukoil refinery after US sanctions
Nov 14 2025
Bulgaria on Friday nominated a senior government official to take control of a major Lukoil refinery in the east of the …
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At COP30, senator warns US 'deliberately losing' clean tech race with China
Nov 14 2025
Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, one of only a handful of senior US political leaders attending this year's UN climate …
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Fossil fuel lobbyists out in force at Amazon climate talks: NGOs
Nov 14 2025
Lobbyists tied to the fossil fuel industry have turned up in strength at the UN climate talks in the Brazilian Amazon, …
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A rare oil CEO shows up at COP30, spars with activists
Nov 14 2025
The head of France's TotalEnergies, one of the few oil executives to attend UN climate talks in Brazil, jousted Friday …
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US, Switzerland say reached deal on trade and tariffs
Nov 14 2025
The United States and Switzerland reached an agreement Friday to sharply lower tariffs imposed by President Donald …
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Water shortage pushes Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan into energy crisis
Nov 14 2025
Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are facing an energy crisis as water levels have plummeted at the reservoirs powering their …
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Stocks sink on fears over tech rally, US rates
Nov 14 2025
Global stock markets slumped further Friday as doubts built over whether the US Federal Reserve would cut interest rates …
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'Time is running out': Serbia eyes winter energy crisis
Nov 14 2025
Serbia's diplomatic balancing act has left it teetering on the brink of a winter energy crisis, analysts warn, as US …
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Germany unveils debt-laden budget, relief measures
Nov 14 2025
The German parliament's budget committee has approved revised 2026 spending plans that include even higher debts than …
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Cartier owner sales lifted by jewellery, improving Asia
Nov 14 2025
Swiss luxury group Richemont, owner of Cartier and other iconic luxury brands, on Friday reported sales ahead of …
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Markets sink on concerns over tech rally, Fed rates
Nov 14 2025
Markets sank Friday, tracking a selloff on Wall Street as doubts built over next month's Federal Reserve interest rate …
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Over 500 economists, top experts call for G20 inequality panel
Nov 14 2025
More than 500 economists and other leading experts, including a Nobel laureate and a former United States treasury …
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Asian markets sink on concerns over tech rally, Fed rates
Nov 14 2025
Asian markets sank Friday, tracking a selloff on Wall Street as doubts built over next month's Federal Reserve interest …
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China retail sales grew at slowest pace in over a year
Nov 14 2025
Retail sales in China grew last month at the slowest pace in over a year, official data showed Friday, highlighting the …
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Rise of the robots: the promise of physical AI
Nov 14 2025
A pair of swivelling, human-like robotic arms, built for physical artificial intelligence research, mirror the motions …
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Trump eyes $2,000 checks, 50-year mortgages as economic fears loom
Nov 14 2025
Is it still the economy, stupid? US President Donald Trump has floated a string of sometimes outlandish policy ideas as …
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Fight over fossil fuels drawdown looms at UN climate summit
Nov 13 2025
Two years after nations agreed to transition away from fossil fuels, dozens are pushing to go even further at the COP30 …
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US says trade talks with Swiss 'very positive'
Nov 13 2025
A senior US official sounded a positive note Thursday about trade talks with Switzerland, as the Alpine nation's economy …
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Stocks slide despite end of US government shutdown
Nov 13 2025
Global stocks slid back sharply on Thursday, dashing hopes that US President Donald Trump's signing of a spending bill …
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BBC says sorry to Trump, but rejects defamation claim
Nov 13 2025
The BBC said Thursday that its chairman had sent a letter to US President Donald Trump apologising for a misleading edit …
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Strong first-half profits keep Alstom firmly on rails
Nov 13 2025
French rail manufacturer Alstom reported Thursday a strong first half of its 2025-2026 fiscal year, as sales and net …
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Pfizer completes Metsera acquisition in deal worth up to $10 bn
Nov 13 2025
US drugmaker Pfizer said Thursday that it has completed its acquisition of biotech firm Metsera, closing a deal worth up …
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Boeing union votes to end strike, accept new contract
Nov 13 2025
More than 3,000 striking Boeing defense workers on Thursday voted to end a strike over wage increases and retirement …
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Starbucks baristas launch strike on chain's 'Red Cup Day'
Nov 13 2025
Hundreds of unionized Starbucks baristas kicked off an indefinite strike Thursday in cities across the United States, …
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Stocks on the slide despite end of US shutdown
Nov 13 2025
Global stocks slid back sharply on Thursday, dashing hopes that President Donald Trump's signing of a spending bill to …
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Mexican car industry fears higher tariffs on China will drive its demise
Nov 13 2025
Mexico's car assembly industry, one of the biggest in the world, fears US President Donald Trump's tariff war will …
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Stocks sluggish as US government shutdown ends
Nov 13 2025
Stock markets were sluggish on Thursday after President Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end a record-long US …
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EU backs small parcel duties to tackle China import flood
Nov 13 2025
EU states on Thursday agreed to scrap a bloc-wide duty exemption on low-value orders from the likes of retail giants …
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Amazon robotics lead casts doubt on eye-catching humanoids
Nov 13 2025
Flashy humanoid robots that have awed attendees at Web Summit in Lisbon this week are still far from revolutionising …
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Swiss economy minister back in Washington for tariff talks
Nov 13 2025
Switzerland's economy minister Guy Parmelin was back in Washington for talks on Thursday, for the third time since the …
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Race for first private space station heats up as NASA set to retire ISS
Nov 13 2025
With NASA's International Space Station set to come out of service in 2030, American aerospace firm Vast has stepped …
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World oil market 'lopsided' as supply outpaces demand: IEA
Nov 13 2025
The world's oil market is experiencing a period of imbalance as growing supply outstrips demand despite stronger …
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Stocks waver as US government shutdown ends
Nov 13 2025
Stock markets wavered on Thursday after President Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end a record-long US government …
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Google to pay millions to South African news outlets: watchdog
Nov 13 2025
Google will pay more than $40 million to support South African news media, many of them floundering in a digital age, …
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Burberry narrows first half loss on turnaround plan
Nov 13 2025
Burberry narrowed losses in its first half, the British luxury fashion label said Thursday, thanks to sizeable …
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Asian stocks rise with focus on Fed, tech as US government reopens
Nov 13 2025
Asian markets rose on Thursday after Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end a record US government shutdown, while …
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UK economic gloom deepens before budget
Nov 13 2025
Britain's economy slowed in the third quarter, official data showed Thursday, dealing another blow to the Labour …
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Stocks rise with focus on Fed, tech as US government reopens
Nov 13 2025
Asian markets rose on Thursday after Donald Trump signed a spending bill to end a record US government shutdown, while …
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In Kyrgyzstan, world's largest natural walnut forest thins away
Nov 13 2025
Rustling through fallen golden leaves, locals in a forest outside Arslanbob in the Kyrgyz mountains were scurrying for …
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TV soaps and diplomacy as Bangladesh and Turkey grow closer
Nov 13 2025
In a recording studio in Dhaka, voiceover artist Rubaiya Matin Gity dubs the latest Turkish soap opera to become a …
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Striking Boeing defense workers to vote on latest contract
Nov 13 2025
More than 3,000 striking Boeing defense workers will vote Thursday on a revised contract proposal that comes closer to …
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EU lawmakers to vote on unpicking green business rules
Nov 13 2025
European lawmakers are expected on Thursday to back weakening a set of EU environmental and human rights rules, as part …
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Stocks stutter with focus on Fed, tech after US reopen vote
Nov 13 2025
Asian markets trod water Thursday as euphoria over the end of a record US government shutdown petered, with focus back …
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US presses final penny after more than 230 years
Nov 13 2025
The United States pressed its final circulating penny on Wednesday, in a move made to save money as the one-cent coin …
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Brazil tribal chief ready to give Lula a 'talking-to'
Nov 13 2025
A renowned Brazilian tribal chief was among Indigenous activists on the sidelines of UN climate talks when he said …
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