Business and Tech

As net tightens, Iranians pushed to take up homegrown apps

AFP - 10h ago

Banned from using popular Western apps, Iranians have been left with little choice but to take up state-backed …

Panama Canal maintenance work aims to extend its life by a century

AFP - 13h ago

From their vantage point in cranes overlooking the Panama Canal, operators scrutinize the century-old walls of one of …

Audio book narrators say AI is already taking away business

AFP - 13h ago

As people brace for the disruptive impact of artificial intelligence on jobs and everyday living, those in the world of …

Former exec at TikTok parent firm sues, citing 'lawlessness'

May 13 2023

A former US-based executive of ByteDance, the Chinese company that owns TikTok, has sued it for wrongful dismissal, …

G7 finance chiefs move to diversify supply chains

May 13 2023

The G7 plans to launch a partnership scheme to diversify supply chains this year, the group's finance ministers said …

Biden nominates Philip Jefferson to number 2 spot at the Fed

May 12 2023

US President Joe Biden on Friday nominated Philip Jefferson to the number two job at the Federal Reserve, a position …

Linda Yaccarino to bring vaunted ad skills to Twitter

May 12 2023

Named Friday as Elon Musk's successor as Twitter CEO, Linda Yaccarino is a respected media and advertising executive …

Argentina annual inflation exceeds 108 percent in April

May 12 2023

Inflation in Argentina reached 108.8 percent in the 12 months to April, a more than three decade high, the Indec …

Stocks mixed as traders weigh inflation, US debt ceiling uncertainty

May 12 2023

Stock markets were mixed on Friday as traders weighed a range of issues, including US debt-ceiling hopes, expected …

Musk picks ad exec Linda Yaccarino as Twitter CEO

May 12 2023

Elon Musk has chosen top ad executive Linda Yaccarino to take the day-to-day reins of Twitter as he fights to reverse …

Battery makers turn northern French region into 'electric valley'

May 12 2023

Global battery makers are turning a formerly depressed northern French region into a 21st-century manufacturing hub and …

Montenegro paves way for bail of crypto fugitive Do Kwon

May 12 2023

A Montenegro court on Friday paved the way for the release on bail of fugitive cryptocurrency entrepreneur Do Kwon, as …

Stocks mixed as traders weigh inflation, China talks and debt

May 12 2023

Stock markets were mixed on Friday as traders weighed a range of issues, including US debt-ceiling hopes, talks between …

Top exec leaves NBCUniversal amid Twitter CEO reports

May 12 2023

A top advertising executive stepped down from NBCUniversal on Friday and is understood to be first in line to become the …

Stocks up as traders weigh inflation, China talks and debt

May 12 2023

US and European stock markets rose Friday as traders weighed a range of issues including US debt-ceiling hopes, talks …

Architects don't need AI, says high-tech pioneer Norman Foster

May 12 2023

British architect Norman Foster has spent six decades pushing the boundaries of technology with awe-inspiring modernist …

Positive trial results for RSV infant treatment: Sanofi

May 12 2023

French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi announced trial results on Friday that showed its preventative treatment for …

Europe charges up car battery drive with new plants

May 12 2023

Europe's efforts to build up its battery-making capacity got a major boost Friday as Sweden's Northvolt and Taiwan's …

Royal Mail CEO steps down after delivery failures

May 12 2023

The boss of Royal Mail is to step down, its parent group confirmed Friday, after lawmakers criticised the former …

Bangladesh audiences see first Indian movie in 50 years

May 12 2023

Thousands flocked to cinemas in Dhaka on Friday as Shah Rukh Khan's blockbuster "Pathaan" hit the big screens, the first …

Gamers rush to get Nintendo's new 'Zelda' after six-year wait

May 12 2023

Video game fans around the world flocked to shops on Friday to get their hands on the new edition of "Zelda", one of the …

Tea giants lose certification after Kenya sex abuse probe

May 12 2023

An international body said it had suspended its certification for two major global tea companies after an investigation …

'Wide open' for business: Russia makes play for Gulf money

May 12 2023

Grappling with sanctions and an exodus of foreign firms, Moscow is looking to investors from oil-rich Arab Gulf states …

'Hostile' US policies on China risk dividing world: Stiglitz

May 12 2023

"Hostile" US policies on China risk splitting the world into two blocs, Nobel-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz told AFP …

Markets mixed as traders weigh inflation, China talks and debt ceiling

May 12 2023

Markets were mixed Friday as traders weighed a range of issues including US debt ceiling hopes, high-level talks between …

The long wait is over: New 'Zelda' hits shelves

May 12 2023

A six-year wait came to an end for "Zelda" fans across the world on Friday as Nintendo released the long-awaited next …

UK economy ekes out growth in first quarter

May 12 2023

Britain's economy grew 0.1 percent over the first quarter despite weakening in March, official data revealed Friday, as …

Asian markets struggle as easing inflation fails to boost optimism

May 12 2023

Asian markets fluctuated Friday as traders weighed a range of issues including US debt ceiling hopes, high-level talks …

Brazil's internet bill row, explained

May 12 2023

Messaging app Telegram calls it an "attack on democracy," Google says it "seriously threatens free speech" -- but what …

What's the 14th Amendment and can it help avert a debt crisis?

May 12 2023

US President Joe Biden has been considering the "14th Amendment" option to avert a debt ceiling crisis, as the deadline …

Business owners in Cuba implore Biden to implement aid pledge

May 12 2023

Hundreds of Cuban tradespeople and independent owners of small businesses on Thursday sent a letter to President Joe …

Elon Musk says new Twitter chief has been hired

May 12 2023

Elon Musk on Thursday said he has hired someone to replace him as boss of Twitter and its newly named X Corporation …

Debt ceiling talks postponed until next week: W.House

May 11 2023

Crunch talks between US President Joe Biden and senior Republicans have been postponed until early next week to allow …

Stock markets down as traders weigh inflation, rate hikes

May 11 2023

Major stock markets dropped on Thursday as investors assessed fresh US inflation data, the financial health of a …

YouTuber who staged plane crash faces up to 20 years jail

May 11 2023

A YouTuber pilot who bailed out midair and deliberately sent his plane crashing into the ground could be jailed up to 20 …

Iraq to resume Kurdish oil exports to Turkey Saturday: statement

May 11 2023

Iraq's oil minister said Thursday that crude exports from the autonomous Kurdistan region to Turkey would resume on …

US moves to curb power plant emissions

May 11 2023

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced sweeping plans to curb planet-warming emissions from the …

How to cover Trump? CNN on defensive as media wring hands -- again

May 11 2023

Donald Trump's airing of falsehoods and insults in a prime-time CNN appearance triggered a deluge of criticism of the …

Macron urges 'pause' in EU environment regulations

May 11 2023

French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday urged the EU to pause imposing environmental regulations, saying Europe had …

Ethiopia grants mobile money licence to Kenya's Safaricom

May 11 2023

Ethiopia's central bank said on Thursday it had issued a mobile money licence to Kenyan telecoms giant Safaricom, the …

Biden administration announces plan to curb emissions from power plants

May 11 2023

President Joe Biden's administration on Thursday announced sweeping plans to curb planet-warming emissions from the …

Threats and shared gold after cheating row rocks eSports final

May 11 2023

An eSports final at the Southeast Asian Games has been rocked by cheating allegations that led to the gold medal being …

Czechs announce major pension, tax reform to rein in debt

May 11 2023

The Czech government presented an extensive tax and pension reform on Thursday designed to curb soaring public debt due …

EU lawmakers take first step towards AI curbs

May 11 2023

European Parliament lawmakers on Thursday took a crucial first step towards EU-wide regulation of ChatGPT and other …

Bank of England lifts interest rate to 15-year high

May 11 2023

The Bank of England on Thursday lifted its key interest rate to the highest level since the 2008 financial crisis, …

Finnish footbridge collapse injures 27, mostly children

May 11 2023

Some 27 young people, mostly children, were injured in Finland on Thursday when a temporary footbridge near a …

Stock markets waver after Bank of England rate hike

May 11 2023

Europe's main stock markets wavered on Thursday, with London sliding after the Bank of England announced it was hiking …

iPhone maker Foxconn's profits slump 56 percent in first quarter

May 11 2023

Profits for Taiwanese tech giant and key Apple supplier Foxconn fell 56 percent in the first quarter, it announced …

European stocks climb as focus switches to Bank of England

May 11 2023

Europe's main stock markets rose on Thursday, with the region's key event an expected interest rate hike from the Bank …

SoftBank Group logs $7.2 billion full-year loss on tech woes

May 11 2023

SoftBank Group reported an annual net loss of over $7.2 billion on Thursday after a bruising year for the tech startup …

German union calls new two-day rail strike

May 11 2023

Transport union EVG on Thursday called a new round of strikes on Germany's rail network as workers demand higher wages …

A delicate succession in the Arctic Council after Russia sidelined

May 11 2023

The Arctic Council, a model for cooperation between former Cold War foes, on Thursday sees a delicate handover of …

Nissan full-year results beat estimates, forecast bullish

May 11 2023

Nissan said Thursday its full-year net profit slightly topped estimates and offered an upbeat forecast for the current …

Zambia's president defends 'economic diplomacy' to escape debt

May 11 2023

Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema said his copper-rich country needs to forge diverse economic partnerships worldwide …

G7 finance chiefs tackle crises from Ukraine to banking

May 11 2023

Support for war-torn Ukraine topped the agenda at G7 finance talks on Thursday in Japan, where ministers and central …

'Full recovery': Emirates Group unveils record $3bn profit

May 11 2023

Emirates Group announced a record $3 billion annual profit on Thursday, hailing a "full recovery" for the Dubai-based …

Australian minister heads to China seeking 'unimpeded' trade

May 11 2023

Australia's trade minister flew to Beijing on Thursday on a mission to demolish Chinese import barriers after years of …

Asian markets slip as traders left unmoved by US inflation data

May 11 2023

Asian markets mostly fell Thursday as investors shrugged at data showing US inflation dipped further but only …

'A game of chance': Migrants battle glitchy app at US border

May 11 2023

The fate of tens of thousands of people seeking asylum at the United States' southern border will, from Friday, hinge on …

US debt 'brinkmanship' risks serious costs: Yellen

May 11 2023

Political brinkmanship over raising the US debt ceiling risks "serious economic costs" even without the "catastrophe" of …

Disney Plus sheds subscribers for second straight quarter

May 11 2023

Subscribers to Disney Plus fell for the second straight quarter, the company said on Wednesday, though it stemmed …

European Parliament votes on curbs for ChatGPT and other AI

May 11 2023

EU lawmakers hold a crucial vote Thursday towards setting restrictions on how AI such as ChatGPT can be used in the …

Streaming giants battle for anime supremacy

May 11 2023

From R-rated sci-fi to teen biker gang adventures, streaming platforms are locked in an intensifying battle for …

Inflation-fighting Bank of England eyes 12th rate hike

May 11 2023

The Bank of England is forecast Thursday to deliver its twelfth straight interest rate hike as it seeks to dampen high …

Asian markets struggle as traders unmoved by US inflation data

May 11 2023

Asian markets were mixed Thursday as investors shrugged at data showing US inflation fell further but only marginally, …

Crises from Ukraine to banking await G7 finance ministers

May 11 2023

Support for war-torn Ukraine will top the agenda at G7 finance talks on Thursday, but ministers and central bankers will …

Germany says controversial Chinese stake in Hamburg port to go ahead

May 11 2023

The German government said Wednesday that it would allow a Chinese firm to buy a stake in a Hamburg port, after the …

Jewellery with Nazi links fetches over $155 mn at controversial auction

May 11 2023

Jewels belonging to an Austrian billionaire whose German husband made his fortune under the Nazis raked in more than …

Google answers ChatGPT challenge with Bard expansion

May 10 2023

Google on Wednesday said it is opening Bard, a rival to Microsoft-backed ChatGPT, to 180 countries as it expands use of …

Stock markets mixed as US inflation eases slightly

May 10 2023

Stock markets were mixed on Wednesday after much-anticipated data showed US consumer inflation had eased only slightly …

Stock markets down as US inflation eases slightly

May 10 2023

Stock markets were muted Wednesday after much-anticipated data showed US consumer inflation had eased only slightly in …

Climate maths 'doesn't add up' without carbon capture: COP28 chief

May 10 2023

The Emirati oil chief leading this year's UN climate talks said Wednesday the world must get "serious" about new …

US consumer inflation eases but price pressures remain

May 10 2023

Consumer inflation in the United States nudged down only slightly in April, the Labor Department said on Wednesday, …

Shell wins legal case over Nigeria oil spill

May 10 2023

Britain's highest court ruled Wednesday it was too late for people in Nigeria's Niger delta region to lodge pollution …

Stock markets drift lower before US inflation data

May 10 2023

Stock markets retreated and the dollar traded mixed Wednesday before the release of key US inflation data.

Markets drift lower as US inflation data looms

May 10 2023

Stocks extended losses in Asia and Europe on Wednesday as traders awaited the release of US inflation data, with …

Asian markets drift lower as US inflation data looms

May 10 2023

Stocks extended losses in Asia on Wednesday as traders awaited the release of US inflation data, with sentiment clouded …

Toyota full-year net profit beats forecast

May 10 2023

Top-selling automaker Toyota said Wednesday that its full-year net profit beat expectations and projected better sales …

Google to show off AI and Pixel gadget innovations

May 10 2023

Google is expected to enrich its popular online services with more artificial intelligence on Wednesday as it scrambles …

Mongolia's building boom traps capital residents in concrete jungle

May 10 2023

Otgoo recalls running around freely as a child in Mongolia's once sparsely populated capital city, but he fears a rapid …

Musk says video and audio calls coming to Twitter

May 10 2023

Twitter boss Elon Musk on Tuesday put out word that audio and video calls are coming to the platform.

Trudeau slams Facebook for threatening to block Canadian news

May 10 2023

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Tuesday slammed Meta after executives said it would block news for Canadian Facebook …

US woman who wrote book on grief charged with killing husband

May 10 2023

A US woman who wrote a book on dealing with grief after the death of her husband has been charged with his murder.

No US debt limit deal yet after Biden meets Republican leaders

May 09 2023

A high-stakes meeting between President Joe Biden and key lawmakers from both parties on Tuesday yielded no breakthrough …

Telegram calls Brazil disinformation law 'attack on democracy'

May 09 2023

Messaging app Telegram warned Tuesday that "democracy is under attack in Brazil," the latest salvo by tech companies …

Global stocks dip on eve of US inflation data

May 09 2023

Stock markets dropped Tuesday as investors awaited key US inflation data and tracked President Joe Biden's battle with …

Biden meets Republican leaders in debt limit standoff

May 09 2023

President Joe Biden convened a high-stakes meeting with Republican leaders Tuesday in hopes of breaking an impasse over …

Ryanair orders 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets worth $40 bn

May 09 2023

Irish airline Ryanair Tuesday ordered 300 Boeing 737 MAX jets worth over $40 billion at list prices, representing the US …

Radio-Canada, CBC returning to Twitter

May 09 2023

Canada's public broadcaster CBC and its French-language arm Radio-Canada said Tuesday that they were returning to …

Boeing confident it will fulfill huge Ryanair order

May 09 2023

Boeing's CEO is "confident" the company will fulfil Ryanair's giant 737 MAX-10 order announced Tuesday despite lingering …

Texas mall shooter embraced Nazi ideology

May 09 2023

The man accused of killing eight people at a Texas shopping mall recently obtained large Nazi tattoos, praised other …

Global stocks slump on eve of US inflation data

May 09 2023

Stock markets dropped Tuesday as investors await key US inflation data and track President Joe Biden's battle with …

Europe must reduce China renewable dependence: agency

May 09 2023

The European Union must reduce its dependence on China when it comes to vital equipment used in producing renewable …

Church of England joins shareholder revolt on Shell climate goals

May 09 2023

The Church of England Tuesday said it will vote against a "green" transition plan proposed by energy giant Shell, …

US announces $1.2 bn in new military aid for Ukraine

May 09 2023

The United States on Tuesday announced a new $1.2 billion security assistance package for Ukraine to boost the country's …

LinkedIn closes China service, cuts over 700 jobs

May 09 2023

Social networking firm LinkedIn announced Tuesday that it will close down its last service available in China, citing …

Nintendo banks on 'Zelda' to boost fortunes

May 09 2023

Japanese video game giant Nintendo is banking on the latest instalment of its 40-year-old saga "Zelda" to breathe life …

Carrefour opens first foreign supermarkets in Israel

May 09 2023

French retailer Carrefour inaugurated on Tuesday 50 stores in Israel, becoming the first foreign supermarket chain with …

Royal Mail CEO to depart after delivery failures: report

May 09 2023

The boss of Royal Mail is set to leave his post after lawmakers criticised the former state-monopoly's performance, …

Global stocks mostly drop on eve of US inflation

May 09 2023

World stock markets mostly dropped Tuesday on the eve of key inflation data in the United States, while traders also …

iPhone maker Foxconn buys huge site in India tech hub

May 09 2023

Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn has bought a huge tract of land on the outskirts of Indian tech hub Bengaluru, the …

UBS keeps Credit Suisse CEO for leadership team in merger

May 09 2023

Swiss banking giant UBS announced on Tuesday that Credit Suisse chief executive Ulrich Koerner would join its leadership …