Business and Economy
Record for world's priciest bottle of whisky smashed at London auction
AFP - 5h ago
A bottle of The Macallan 1926, described by Sotheby's auction house as the "most valuable whisky in the world", on …
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First French ski resorts open, but only at high altitude
AFP - 6h ago
A few French high-altitude ski resorts opened ahead of schedule Saturday, just days after storms in the northern Alps …
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First French ski reports open, but only at high altitude
AFP - 19m ago
A few French high-altitude ski resorts opened ahead of schedule Saturday, just days after storms in the northern Alps …
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Advertisers drop X after Musk backs anti-Semitic post
AFP - 19h ago
An exodus of big-name advertisers appeared under way at X, formerly Twitter, on Friday in the wake of Elon Musk …
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In shock move, OpenAI sacks ChatGPT star CEO Sam Altman
AFP - 20h ago
OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT a year ago, said Friday it had dismissed CEO Sam Altman in a shock firing of a …
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Social media titans caught in Gaza storm over content
AFP - 21h ago
Six weeks after the eruption of the war in Gaza with the attack by Hamas on Israel, social media platforms are still …
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Moody's affirms Italy's credit rating and upgrades outlook
Nov 17 2023
The US ratings agency Moody's announced Friday it had affirmed Italy's credit rating at Baa3, and upgraded the country's …
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Pandas and partnership: Was Xi's US trip a success?
Nov 17 2023
In a whirlwind US trip this week, Chinese President Xi Jinping held long talks with President Joe Biden, got a standing …
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US, European stocks end winning week on benign note
Nov 17 2023
European and US stocks ended an upbeat week on a benign note Friday, pushing higher after cooling inflation reports …
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ChatGPT's OpenAI sacks star CEO Sam Altman
Nov 17 2023
OpenAI, the company that created ChatGPT a year ago, said Friday it had dismissed CEO Sam Altman as it no longer had …
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US, China commerce ministers pledge to further talks in 2024
Nov 17 2023
The United States and China plan further talks on commercial issues next year, the US Commerce Department said Friday in …
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Italian workers strike over hard-right government budget
Nov 17 2023
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in support of a national day of strike action in Italy on Friday, which …
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Stocks struggle to end week on high note
Nov 17 2023
European stock markets ended up but Wall Street wavered on Friday as investors struggled to end the week on a high note …
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White House condemns Musk's 'abhorrent promotion' of anti-Semitism
Nov 17 2023
The White House on Friday condemned the owner of social media platform X and the world's richest person, Elon Musk, for …
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'We won't need bullets': Taser boss says electric gun saves lives
Nov 17 2023
Rick Smith, founder of Taser-maker Axon, pointed one of his company's yellow stun guns at a target and discharged its …
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Shakira, Shakira: Latina superstar with tax woes
Nov 17 2023
Shapeshifting Colombian superstar Shakira is in comeback mode after a torrid, highly publicised split from her …
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Kenya's economy faces climate change risks: World Bank
Nov 17 2023
The impacts of climate change could shave up to seven percent off Kenya's economic output by 2050 compared to baseline …
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Meta, TikTok challenge incoming EU digital market law
Nov 17 2023
Tech giants Meta and TikTok are contesting the scope of an EU law that from March will set new rules on competition in …
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European stocks rally, as tanking Alibaba weighs on Hong Kong
Nov 17 2023
Europe's main stock markets rallied and the dollar weakened Friday, closing out a volatile week for financial assets as …
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US chip curbs trip up China's AI-hungry tech giants
Nov 17 2023
US restrictions on advanced computer chips are forcing China's tech giants to rethink their ambitious AI-powered …
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Activists slam conditions at Europe's fur farms, seek ban
Nov 17 2023
Animal rights group on Friday decried conditions at 31 fur farms in Europe, following the emergence of videos showing …
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Alibaba shares collapse after cloud service spinoff cancelled
Nov 17 2023
Shares in Chinese ecommerce titan Alibaba tanked 10 percent in Hong Kong on Friday after the firm's surprise decision to …
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Tanking Alibaba drags Hong Kong as markets rally fades
Nov 17 2023
Hong Kong led losses in Asian markets on Friday as Alibaba was hammered after saying it would cancel the planned spinoff …
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Biden, Xi compete for Asia-Pacific allies at summit
Nov 17 2023
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping made rival bids to win over Asia-Pacific allies at a …
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Winds of change? Bid to revive England's onshore sector
Nov 17 2023
When yet another winter storm hits Britain, Ellis Jacklin is happier than most, as he gets his energy at up to half the …
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US opens way for nuclear investment in energy-hungry Philippines
Nov 17 2023
The United States on Thursday signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with the Philippines, clearing a path for US …
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Alibaba shares dive more than 7% after cloud service called off
Nov 17 2023
Shares in Chinese e-commerce titan Alibaba tanked more than seven percent at the Hong Kong open Friday after the firm's …
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Asia trade talk stumble is another setback for US: analysts
Nov 17 2023
The United States stumbled again in trade negotiations with Asia-Pacific partners this week, a setback analysts say …
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The long-term economic risks of America's budget dysfunction
Nov 17 2023
The use of stop-gap funding measures to keep the US government open amid frequent political squabbles over how to tackle …
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IBM pulls ads from Elon Musk's X over pro-Nazi posts
Nov 17 2023
IBM on Thursday said it has stopped advertising on X due to a report its ads were shown next to pro-Nazi posts at the …
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Workers at GM ratify contract in win for US auto union
Nov 16 2023
Workers at General Motors have voted to ratify a new labor contract with sweeping pay increases, according to figures …
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Stocks fall, oil slides as rally shows sign of fatigue
Nov 16 2023
World stock markets mostly fell Thursday as investors took a breather after a recent rally following …
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Biden reassures APEC summit, says stable China ties benefit world
Nov 16 2023
US President Joe Biden reassured Asia-Pacific economies of American commitment at a summit in San Francisco Thursday, …
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Amazon to sell new cars next year in US, starting with Hyundai
Nov 16 2023
E-commerce giant Amazon said Thursday it would start selling new automobiles on its platform in the United States next …
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Big Starbucks promotion roiled by union walkout of 'thousands'
Nov 16 2023
Worker activists at Starbucks called for a strike at unionized coffee shops in the United States on Thursday as the …
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Biden hosts APEC summit after signaling calmer US-China ties
Nov 16 2023
Promoting trade, protecting supply chains and fighting the climate crisis will feature at the APEC summit of Pacific rim …
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Stocks fall, oil slides as rate-hope rally fades
Nov 16 2023
World stock markets mostly fell Thursday as investors took a breather after a recent rally following …
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US Fed governor says a 'soft landing' is possible
Nov 16 2023
The US Federal Reserve may be on track to bring down inflation while avoiding a damaging recession, a senior policymaker …
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Rich nations 'likely' met $100 bn climate finance goal: OECD
Nov 16 2023
Wealthy nations likely met their goal of providing $100 billion in annual climate finance to poorer nations last year -- …
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Walmart narrowly lifts forecast as inflation stays consumer concern
Nov 16 2023
Walmart narrowly lifted its full-year forecast on Thursday following solid quarterly results as it continued to navigate …
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Alibaba cancels cloud service spinoff over US chip restrictions
Nov 16 2023
Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba said Thursday it was cancelling a planned cloud service spinoff announced this year …
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US auto worker strike hits October industrial production
Nov 16 2023
US industrial production declined more than expected in October, with the auto workers strike exerting downward pressure …
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Stocks fall as rate-hope rally fades
Nov 16 2023
World stock markets mostly fell Thursday as investors took a breather after a recent rally following …
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Stocks mostly drop as rate-hope rally fades
Nov 16 2023
Major Asian and European stock markets fell Thursday as investors took a breather and cashed in on a recent rally …
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Spectre of war paralyses Lebanon's hospitality sector
Nov 16 2023
Bartender Richard Alam has poured hardly any drinks at his pub in Lebanon's seaside city of Byblos, where once-busy …
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EU agrees data-sharing scheme for Airbnb-style rentals
Nov 16 2023
An EU-wide data-sharing scheme for Airbnb and similar rentals to help crack down on illegal short-term lets is a step …
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Oil, gas giants could pay climate damage and still profit: research
Nov 16 2023
Major oil and gas companies such as Aramco, ExxonMobil and Shell could have paid for their share of the damage caused by …
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Siemens nets record profits, but outlook cautious
Nov 16 2023
German industrial giant Siemens on Thursday gave a cautious sales forecast for 2024, after netting a record profit in …
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The AI of war: computers and autonomous killing
Nov 16 2023
Like gunpowder and the atomic bomb, artificial intelligence (AI) has the capacity to revolutionise warfare, analysts …
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Quakes and climate: how Dutch farmers lost faith in politics
Nov 16 2023
Spade in hand, Dutch organic farmer Piet Glas strolls off with his Jack Russell terrier Ollie to hunt mice nesting in a …
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Markets mostly drop as rate-hope rally loses steam
Nov 16 2023
Most markets fell Thursday as investors took a breather and cashed in on a recent rally, though analysts said the …
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Asian markets mostly drop as rate-hope rally loses steam
Nov 16 2023
Most Asian markets fell Thursday as investors took a breather and cashed in on a recent rally, though analysts said the …
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China ready to be 'partner and friend' of US: Xi
Nov 16 2023
China is "ready to be a partner and friend of the United States," President Xi Jinping told US business leaders on …
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Musk's X launches court fight with Australian watchdog
Nov 16 2023
Australia's online safety watchdog said Thursday it was being taken to court by Elon Musk's X in a fight over the …
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Asian markets drop as rate-hope rally loses steam
Nov 16 2023
Asian markets fell Thursday as investors took a breather and cashed in on a recent rally, though analysts said the …
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PepsiCo sued by New York state over plastic pollution
Nov 16 2023
New York state sued PepsiCo on Wednesday, pointing to the soda giant's plastic waste as a scourge of waterways and …
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In Mexico, building a rail rival to the Panama Canal
Nov 16 2023
At Mexico's narrowest point, linking the Pacific and Atlantic oceans, the government is building a railway rival to the …
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US seizes $1 bn worth of fake luxury goods in NY
Nov 16 2023
Anyone who walks the streets of Manhattan can observe sidewalk vendors hawking counterfeit luxury products.
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US, European stocks extend gains on interest rate outlook
Nov 15 2023
Stock markets rose for a second day Wednesday after slowing US inflation and retail sales raised hopes of a soft landing …
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US regulator greenlights Starship's next launch on Friday
Nov 15 2023
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Wednesday authorized SpaceX to carry out its second launch of Starship, …
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Media mogul Murdoch says he'll stay 'active' after passing torch
Nov 15 2023
Conservative media mogul Rupert Murdoch on Wednesday pledged to maintain an "active role" in the business as he handed …
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Renault tries to lure investment for new electric car unit
Nov 15 2023
French automaker Renault on Wednesday held an investors day for its new electric vehicle subsidiary Ampere, hoping to …
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After rescue deal, Siemens Energy unveils massive loss
Nov 15 2023
Siemens Energy reported a 4.59-billion-euro ($5-billion) annual loss Wednesday, dragged down by a crisis in its wind …
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Nobody wants a Musk monopoly on satellite internet: Eutelsat boss
Nov 15 2023
The boss of European satellite operator Eutelsat knows her task will not be easy: to forge a competitor to Elon Musk's …
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UK rental market suffers record price rise
Nov 15 2023
UK housing rental prices spiked by a record rate with London hit particularly hard, official data showed Wednesday, …
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Czech court nixes ex-PM Babis's acquittal in EU fraud case
Nov 15 2023
Former Czech billionaire premier Andrej Babis will go back to court over an EU fraud case after an appeals court …
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US stocks extend gains on hopes of a soft landing
Nov 15 2023
Stock markets rose further Wednesday after slowing US inflation dampened expectations of more interest rate hikes, with …
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US retail sales, producer prices register October fall
Nov 15 2023
Retail sales in the United States fell slightly in October, according to government data published Wednesday, fueled by …
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German court blows 60-bn-euro hole in budget with debt ruling
Nov 15 2023
Germany's top court wiped 60 billion euros from a climate fund Wednesday as it decided the government had broken crucial …
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Stocks rally as inflation cools in US, Europe
Nov 15 2023
Major Asian stock markets surged and European indices extended gains Wednesday, with sentiment lifted by news of …
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Stocks extend global rally as US inflation reinforces rate hopes
Nov 15 2023
Equities surged Wednesday and the dollar struggled after slower-than-forecast US inflation was seen as all but putting …
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Bangladesh garment factories reopen after violent protests
Nov 15 2023
Bangladesh garment factories reopened Wednesday as hundreds of thousands of workers returned to key manufacturing hubs …
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Inflation, higher rates hit eurozone growth outlook
Nov 15 2023
The European Commission on Wednesday lowered its eurozone growth forecast for 2023 and 2024, saying the high cost of …
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China's Tencent posts Q3 income slide despite revenue growth
Nov 15 2023
Chinese internet giant Tencent announced on Wednesday a nine percent year-on-year dip in third-quarter net income, even …
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UK inflation falls sharply, relieving pressure on PM Sunak
Nov 15 2023
UK inflation hit the lowest level in two years last month after consumer prices fell sharper than expected on easing …
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German govt loses key case on debt rules at top court
Nov 15 2023
Germany's top court ruled Wednesday against the government in a case centred on whether it had broken debt rules, wiping …
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EU negotiators reach deal on methane emission curbs
Nov 15 2023
Negotiators for the EU's member states and lawmakers on Wednesday reached a deal on new rules to curb methane emissions …
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Dubai plans new mega-airport as Mideast competition hots up
Nov 15 2023
Dubai is forging ahead with plans to replace the world's busiest airport with an even bigger one as passenger traffic …
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Biden says China has 'real problems' ahead of key US summit with Xi
Nov 15 2023
US President Joe Biden said Tuesday that China has "real problems," speaking at a fundraiser in San Francisco on the eve …
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China retail sales surge in October but economy remains sluggish
Nov 15 2023
Chinese retail sales grew in October at the fastest rate in five months, data showed Wednesday, boosted by an extended …
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Jordan aims to score big in global gaming industry
Nov 15 2023
For many, gaming is a waste of time. Hours lost staring at glowing screens. But Jordan is betting on its youth to …
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German govt spending plans at risk as court rules
Nov 15 2023
Germany's top court will decide Wednesday whether the government broke debt rules enshrined in the constitution, …
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Asia extends global rally as US inflation slows more than thought
Nov 15 2023
Equities surged Wednesday and the dollar struggled after slower-than-forecast US inflation was seen as all but putting …
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Japanese economy contracts in blow to Kishida
Nov 15 2023
Japan's economy has gone into reverse, government data showed Wednesday, in a further blow to struggling Prime Minister …
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Snapchat to add in-app Amazon shopping
Nov 15 2023
Amazon on Tuesday confirmed it is partnering with Snapchat-parent Snap to let users of the ephemeral messaging service …
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McDonald's UK boss says fast-food chain faces weekly sex abuse claims
Nov 15 2023
McDonald's boss in Britain said Tuesday the US fast-food giant faces "one to two" sexual harassment allegations from …
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A shirt for rice: bartering to survive in inflation-battered Argentina
Nov 15 2023
An old T-shirt for a handful of rice or some eggs: ever more Argentines are relying on barter to survive in a …
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Japanese economy shrinks 0.5 percent in third quarter
Nov 15 2023
Japan's economy contracted by a worse-than-expected 0.5 percent in the third quarter, government data showed Wednesday, …
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Xi, Biden arrive for key San Francisco summit
Nov 15 2023
US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping arrived in San Francisco on Tuesday on the eve of an …
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Stock markets surge as US inflation continues to cool
Nov 14 2023
Stock markets rose strongly Tuesday as a key measure of US inflation slowed more than expected, raising hopes that the …
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Cooling US inflation raises hopes of an end to rate hikes
Nov 14 2023
US consumer inflation cooled more than expected last month, according to government data published Tuesday, providing …
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Siemens Energy gets state-backed 15-bn-euro rescue package
Nov 14 2023
Siemens Energy will receive a 15-billion-euro ($16.3-billion), state-backed rescue package, Berlin said Tuesday, as the …
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UK govt urges food delivery firms to step up vetting
Nov 14 2023
The UK government on Tuesday urged online food delivery platforms such as Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo to step up …
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Stock markets jump as US inflation moderates
Nov 14 2023
Stock markets rose strongly Tuesday as a key measure of US inflation slowed more than expected, raising hopes the …
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Netherlands shelves plan to cut Schiphol flights
Nov 14 2023
The Dutch government said Tuesday it was temporarily shelving plans to cut flights at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, one …
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Glencore takes majority stake in Canadian coal business
Nov 14 2023
Swiss commodities giant Glencore will acquire a majority stake in the steelmaking coal business of Canadian miner Teck …
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Argentina's fed-up farmers lean towards outsider Milei
Nov 14 2023
Argentine livestock salesman Pablo Cicare stands among a herd of Angus cows, source of some of the world's finest beef, …
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ECB threatens bank climate change laggards with financial penalties
Nov 14 2023
The European Central Bank on Tuesday threatened to impose financial penalties on banks who are slow to minimise climate …
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US consumer inflation cools more than expected in October
Nov 14 2023
US consumer inflation cooled more than expected last month, according to government data published Tuesday, providing …
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Ethiopian Airlines snaps up 31 Boeings in 'landmark' deal
Nov 14 2023
Ethiopian Airlines ordered 31 Boeing jets with an option for 36 more in a "landmark" deal on Tuesday as it joined the …
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German antitrust body opens probe against Coca-Cola
Nov 14 2023
Germany's antitrust watchdog said Tuesday it was opening a probe into US beverages giant Coca-Cola over rebates for …
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Stock markets diverge before US inflation data
Nov 14 2023
Stock markets struck a mixed note Tuesday as caution prevailed before key US inflation data, which could spell major …
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