Business and Tech



Will sanctions easing reboot Venezuela's oil industry?

AFP - 1h ago

On paper, the easing of US oil sanctions against Venezuela should allow its battered economy to once again profit from a …

FAA recommends inspections for more Boeing models

AFP - 1h ago

The US Federal Aviation Administration has recommended that airlines inspect door plugs on Boeing 737-900ER jets after a …

French farmers meet with PM after threatening more protests

AFP - 3h ago

France's powerful farming unions on Monday met with Prime Minister Gabriel Attal after threatening the government with a …

Imane Ayissi brings African tradition to Paris couture

AFP - 3h ago

Imane Ayissi is on a mission to put authentic African textiles in the spotlight but faces an uphill battle as a pioneer …

Africa in debt spiral as restructuring efforts drag on

AFP - 5h ago

While the explosion of debt is throwing a shadow over global economic growth, experts warn that sub-Saharan Africa, …

'It makes me sad': Gloomy times for Argentine vacationers

AFP - 5h ago

They are few, tight-fisted and downcast. This year's trickle of Argentine vacationers to a popular Atlantic beach resort …

South African miners see gold in hills of waste

AFP - 6h ago

In Johannesburg, illegal miners and mining companies are in a race to tap golden riches hidden in hundreds of heaps of …

Musk visits Auschwitz and will address anti-Semitism online in Poland

AFP - 1h ago

Elon Musk visited Auschwitz and was due to address anti-Semitism online at an event in Poland on Monday just weeks after …

Musk to address anti-Semitism online in Poland

AFP - 11h ago

Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk was Monday due to address anti-Semitism online at an event in Poland just weeks after …

Sony 'terminates' Indian merger with Zee

AFP - 12h ago

Sony "terminated" on Monday the $10-billion merger of its Indian operations with local rival Zee Entertainment that …

Markets mixed after Wall St record as China worries weigh

AFP - 12h ago

Stock markets were mixed Monday following a record finish on Wall Street, while hopes for an early US interest rate cut …

ECB to signal no rush to cut interest rates

AFP - 12h ago

European Central Bank policymakers are expected to keep interest rates steady on Thursday and signal they are in no …

Wanted crypto boss Do Kwon's Terraform files for US bankruptcy

AFP - 12h ago

South Korean entrepreneur Do Kwon's Terraform Labs, whose cryptocurrencies crashed dramatically in 2022, is seeking …

Fit at 40: the revolutionary Apple Mac in numbers

AFP - 16h ago

Forty years ago Steve Jobs revolutionised personal computing by launching the Apple Macintosh, the first PC with a …

Most Asian markets rise after Wall St record

AFP - 15h ago

Most Asian markets rose Monday following a record finish on Wall Street, but hopes for an early US interest rate cut …

Mac computers could ride AI wave or be left behind

AFP - 15h ago

Forty years after igniting a PC revolution, Apple's Mac is stronger than ever and could reach new glory due to AI …

France's politicians woo the country's angry farmers

Jan 21 2024

France's new Prime Minister Gabriel Attal paid tribute to the country's agriculture sector this weekend, responding to …

Fire breaks out at Russian gas terminal near St Petersburg

Jan 21 2024

A blaze at a natural gas terminal in the Baltic Sea port of Ust-Luga on Sunday was caused by an "external factor", said …

Tunnel vision: subterranean London to become tourist hub?

Jan 21 2024

A battle is brewing over plans to turn so-called spy tunnels beneath central London into "one of the world's most unique …

AI and death: Sundance films grapple with our digital afterlife

Jan 21 2024

Artificial intelligence promises to make death "optional," as the technology learns to perfectly emulate our …

ArcelorMittal wants 'amicable' deal on Italy steelworks

Jan 20 2024

ArcelorMittal has offered to sell its stake or become a minority shareholder in an Italian steelworks after Rome moved …

TSMC to launch chipmaking plant in Japan, but US plant to face delays

Jan 20 2024

Taiwan's TSMC will open its latest chipmaking foundry on Japan's Kyushu island on February 24, but a plant in the United …

US space company upbeat on next Moon mission despite lander's demise

Jan 19 2024

The head of the American space company whose lunar lander failed this week in its mission to reach the Moon expressed …

Microsoft says exec email breached in Russia-backed hack

Jan 19 2024

Hackers linked to Russia's intelligence service broke into email accounts of senior Microsoft executives, according to a …

Sports Illustrated magazine lays off staff

Jan 19 2024

Staff at Sports Illustrated, the famed American sports magazine that became a fixture for athletes and fans, were laid …

LA Times staff walk out over job cut threats

Jan 19 2024

Unionized journalists at the Los Angeles Times walked off the job Friday for the first time in the paper's 142-year …

US Fed official says 'premature' to expect rate cuts soon

Jan 19 2024

The US Federal Reserve's fight against inflation is far from over and it is "premature" to expect rate cuts around the …

Boeing 747 cargo plane makes emergency landing in Miami

Jan 19 2024

An Atlas Air Boeing 747 cargo plane made an emergency return to Miami International Airport following an engine problem …

Tata Steel axes UK jobs as industry forges 'greener' future

Jan 19 2024

Indian-owned Tata Steel is to cut up to 2,800 UK jobs, it announced on Friday, as the industry struggles to finance …

In Davos, African nations want to tell a different story

Jan 19 2024

From South Africa to Rwanda to Nigeria, African countries put on a show of force at the World Economic Forum this week, …

ING targeted in new Dutch climate legal case

Jan 19 2024

The Dutch climate activists who won an historic court battle against Shell now have a new target -- top Dutch bank ING.

US tech stocks help Wall Street flirt with records

Jan 19 2024

Wall Street was higher for the second day running on Friday as a rally in tech stocks took US indexes to near record …

Ford to cut production of electric pickup on lower demand

Jan 19 2024

US auto giant Ford said Friday that it is reducing production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup, as it anticipates …

US existing home sales fall to lowest level since 1995

Jan 19 2024

US existing home sales fell in the final month of 2023, ending a tough year for real estate as full-year sales hit the …

Eiffel Tower topped pre-Covid visitor numbers in 2023

Jan 19 2024

The Eiffel Tower in Paris welcomed 6.3 million visitors last year, its management company said Friday, more than came in …

Apple ready to open iPhone tap-to-pay to rivals -- in the EU

Jan 19 2024

Apple is prepared to open the iPhone's ability to tap-to-pay to rivals -- in the EU -- after coming under fire for …

Wall Street opens higher but European stocks lag

Jan 19 2024

Wall Street opened higher as tech stocks continued their recovery, but European shares were weighed down by concerns …

In Davos, AI excitement persists but fears over managing risks

Jan 19 2024

Walking around in Davos where the global elites gathered for the World Economic Forum this week, there were two …

Tata Steel axes UK jobs as industry forges green future

Jan 19 2024

Indian-owned Tata Steel is to cut up to 2,800 UK jobs, it announced Friday, as the industry struggles to finance greener …

Davos free-trade champions fret over war, climate

Jan 19 2024

After Covid and the war in Ukraine, free-trade boosters in Davos fretted over a new bout of turmoil in global supply …

Tata Steel says to cut up to 2,800 UK jobs

Jan 19 2024

Indian-owned Tata Steel is to cut up to 2,800 UK jobs, it announced Friday, as the industry transitions to greener …

Tens of thousands sign up for French electric car leasing scheme

Jan 19 2024

The French government has been flooded with applications from low-income households to lease a subsidised electric car …

Markets track Wall St rally but China worries cast shadow

Jan 19 2024

Europe's main stock markets rose Friday after a tech-led Wall Street rally, but Asia was dented by China's economic woes …

Economic outlook keeps investors wary on Nigeria

Jan 19 2024

Record inflation, a sliding naira currency and weak financial structure are keeping investors wary of Nigeria, Africa's …

Indian tycoon Adani bets big on vast solar and wind plant

Jan 19 2024

Deep in the desert along the border with Pakistan, India's most controversial billionaire is building the world's …

Japan inflation slows to 2.3 percent in December as energy bills drop

Jan 19 2024

Japanese consumer inflation slowed again in December due to lower electricity and gas bills, government data showed …

Asian markets track Wall St higher after tech surge

Jan 19 2024

Asian markets mostly rose Friday following a tech-led rally on Wall Street that helped soothe traders' concerns that the …

Japan's little Moon toy: the camera probe ready to roll

Jan 19 2024

On board Japan's "Moon Sniper" spacecraft is a little robot with a big mission: to pop open like a Transformer toy, …

In Davos, an Australian mining boss presses industries to go green

Jan 19 2024

Andrew Forrest, a blunt Australian billionaire who made his fortune in iron ore mining, stood out among the heads of …

Beyond algorithms: Sandra Rodriguez hacks AI tools for art

Jan 19 2024

Canadian artist and academic Sandra Rodriguez, by hacking artificial intelligence, hopes to demystify the novel …

Japan inflation slows in December as energy bills drop

Jan 19 2024

Japanese consumer inflation slowed again in December due to lower electricity and gas bills, government data showed …

Meta joins rivals in pursuit of human-level AI

Jan 18 2024

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on Thursday said his company is joining the pursuit of creating super artificial intelligence, …

France orders rare Atlantic fishing ban to protect dolphins

Jan 18 2024

The French government will temporarily ban almost all commercial fishing in the Bay of Biscay to protect dolphins, much …

Electric cars jolt Europe sales for 2023

Jan 18 2024

New car sales in Europe rebounded by 13.9 percent in 2023 as electric vehicles overtook diesel for the first time, an …

Stocks rebound from sharp losses

Jan 18 2024

Global stocks rebounded Thursday in choppy trade as investors assessed the outlook for interest rates after the previous …

Tata Steel to cut 3,000 jobs in Wales: source

Jan 18 2024

Indian-owned Tata Steel is to cut about 3,000 jobs at a plant in Wales, a source said Thursday, as the industry …

Just Eat to halt Paris subsidiary employing riders on contracts

Jan 18 2024

The Anglo-Dutch group Just Eat Takeaway said Thursday that it would wind up its Paris subsidiary that employs riders on …

WHO weighs up AI risks and benefits for healthcare

Jan 18 2024

Generative artificial intelligence could transform healthcare through things like drug development and quicker …

Stocks attempt rebound from sharp losses

Jan 18 2024

Global stocks attempted to rebound Thursday in choppy trade as investors assessed the outlook for interest rates after …

Google CEO warns of more layoffs

Jan 18 2024

Google CEO Sundar Pichai has warned employees that more layoffs are in store at the search engine giant as it focused on …

Ukraine's forensics experts trace foreign origins of Russian arms

Jan 18 2024

At a research facility in Kyiv, forensic experts pore over the wreckage of missiles, working to confirm that despite …

Meta's Sheryl Sandberg to step down from board

Jan 18 2024

Meta's former chief operating officer, Sheryl Sandberg, announced that she is leaving the company's board after more …

India's Akasa Air orders 150 Boeing planes: CEO

Jan 18 2024

India's newest airline, Akasa Air, said Thursday it has ordered 150 Boeing 737 MAX planes as it looks to bolster its …

Taiwan's TSMC to launch Japan chipmaking plant in February

Jan 18 2024

Taiwan's TSMC will open its latest chipmaking foundry on Japan's Kyushu island on February 24, its chairman said …

Markets swing on dimming rate cut hopes, weak China outlook

Jan 18 2024

Asian and European stocks were mixed Thursday after another dour day across global markets fuelled by a sense of …

IMF grants Kenya new $941 million loan

Jan 18 2024

The International Monetary Fund said it has granted Kenya a new loan of more than $941 million to help buttress the …

Japan literary laureate unashamed about using ChatGPT

Jan 18 2024

The winner of Japan's most prestigious literary award has acknowledged that about "five percent" of her futuristic novel …

Apple loosens grip on iPhone apps - with a catch

Jan 18 2024

After a years-long legal battle, Apple says it will begin allowing iPhone app developers to use alternative payment …

Apple hit again with US ban in watch patent feud

Jan 18 2024

A federal appeals court on Wednesday ordered Apple to halt US sales of its latest smartwatch models as part of a patent …

'Prince of Persia' creator 'never imagined' game would be his magic carpet

Jan 18 2024

For video game maker Jordan Mechner, "The Prince of Persia" has allowed him to achieve a childhood dream.

West Bank economy in tatters as Gaza war rages

Jan 18 2024

In the occupied West Bank, Hafeth Ghazawneh waits in quiet frustration for customers to visit his falafel stall, which …

US Supreme Court appears inclined to rein in federal agencies

Jan 17 2024

The conservative-leaning US Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared inclined to weaken the power of federal agencies, which …

Samsung turns to AI to regain smartphone throne

Jan 17 2024

Samsung on Wednesday released its latest Galaxy smartphones with new artificial intelligence features as the South …

Layoffs at music outlet Pitchfork as Conde Nast merges it with GQ

Jan 17 2024

Conde Nast is merging the popular digital music publication Pitchfork with the men's magazine GQ, a decision that has …

US business 'optimistic' about interest rates cuts: Fed

Jan 17 2024

US businesses say they are "optimistic" about the prospect of falling interest rates, even as economic conditions have …

European crew poised for private mission to International Space Station

Jan 17 2024

An all-European crew including Turkey's first astronaut are poised to blast off to the International Space Station in a …

Economic headwinds blow stocks, oil lower

Jan 17 2024

Global stocks and oil prices moved lower on Wednesday as investors fretted over weak Chinese growth data and an …

Argentina's Milei calls socialism a 'danger' for West

Jan 17 2024

Argentina's libertarian new President Javier Milei slammed the threat to the West posed by socialism at the meeting of …

Heavy snow, freezing rain hobble European travel

Jan 17 2024

Severe winter weather in northern Europe prompted the cancellation of hundreds of flights Wednesday at Frankfurt …

Stocks, oil prices slump on economic headwinds

Jan 17 2024

Stocks opened lower on Wall Street Wednesday, following declines in oil and European stocks as investors fretted over …

Trade barriers can slow energy transition: IEA chief

Jan 17 2024

Trade barriers can slow the world's energy transition but commerce also needs to be fair, International Energy Agency …

US retail sales beat expectations in December to wrap solid year

Jan 17 2024

US retail sales accelerated more than anticipated in December, closing out a year marked by resilient consumption, …

UK inflation in shock rise, dashing rate cut hopes

Jan 17 2024

British annual inflation unexpectedly picked up in December, data showed Wednesday, dashing hopes of an early cut to UK …

BP picks new CEO following Looney sacking

Jan 17 2024

British oil giant BP on Wednesday named veteran employee Murray Auchincloss as chief executive officer following a …

Kerry says to work on climate after exiting envoy role

Jan 17 2024

Veteran US diplomat and politician John Kerry said Wednesday he planned to keep working to address climate change …

Argentina's 'anarcho-capitalist' president descends on Davos

Jan 17 2024

Argentina's self-styled "anarcho-capitalist" leader, Javier Milei, will address the global elite in Davos on Wednesday …

China sees one of its worst years of growth since 1990 as recovery stalls

Jan 17 2024

China's economy last year grew at one of its slowest rates in more than three decades, official figures showed …

Markets fall on dimming rate cut hopes, China's torpid growth

Jan 17 2024

Asian markets fell further Wednesday as hopes for an early interest rate cut by key central banks faded and data …

Bolivian toymaker restores limbs, dignity with 3D-printing

Jan 17 2024

As a kid growing up in poverty in rural Bolivia, Roly Mamani built his own toys. Now a 34-year-old engineer, he 3D …

Google eliminates hundreds of jobs in ad team tweak

Jan 17 2024

Google on Tuesday confirmed it is eliminating "a few hundred" positions from its global ad team, amid a push to use …

Stock slide on rate cut expectations, Middle East uncertainty

Jan 16 2024

Stock markets mostly fell as investors continued to roll back expectations of lower interest rates, even as they juggled …

US judge blocks JetBlue-Spirit airlines merger

Jan 16 2024

A US federal judge on Tuesday ruled against JetBlue's $3.8 billion takeover of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, saying …

Apple ends Samsung's 12-year run as world's top smartphone seller

Jan 16 2024

Apple's iPhone for the first time became the world's biggest selling smartphone after rival Samsung's 12-year run as …

US judge blocks JetBlue-Spirit airline merger

Jan 16 2024

A US federal judge on Tuesday ruled against JetBlue's $3.8 billion takeover of low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, saying …

US Fed 'within striking distance' of inflation target: official

Jan 16 2024

The US Federal Reserve is "within striking distance" of reaching its long-term inflation target and could begin cutting …

Epic says Apple court fight is 'lost'

Jan 16 2024

The CEO of Fortnite-maker Epic Games said Tuesday the company's court battle to open up Apple's iPhone to alternative …

Yemen rebels claim missile strike on Greek cargo ship

Jan 16 2024

Yemen's Iran-backed Huthi rebels on Tuesday claimed a missile strike on a Greek-owned cargo ship in the Red Sea, the …

Ryanair boss says reassured by Boeing on 737 MAX safety

Jan 16 2024

Ryanair on Tuesday welcomed improved quality controls at US aircraft manufacturer Boeing and announced its own enhanced …

In Davos, Chinese premier takes aim at trade 'barriers'

Jan 16 2024

Chinese Premier Li Qiang told the world's political and business elites in Davos on Tuesday that "discriminatory" trade …

Goldman Sachs profits jump on strong equity trading

Jan 16 2024

Goldman Sachs reported a jump in fourth-quarter profits Tuesday as a surge in revenues for equity trading offset …

Shell sells onshore Nigeria unit, exits Niger Delta

Jan 16 2024

British energy major Shell on Tuesday announced the sale of its Nigeria onshore division SPDC for up to $2.4 billion, …

Nespresso 'capsule war' grinds on with Swiss lawsuit

Jan 16 2024

A French television star and a group of investors are demanding 280 million Swiss francs ($330 million) from Nespresso …