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China says exports rise for first time in seven months
Chinese exports rose in November for the first time in seven months, officials said Thursday, as the country navigates a troubled recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.
EU leaders meet China's Xi for summit with high stakes but low expectations
European leaders met Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday for talks dominated by divisions between the bloc and its largest economic partner over everything from trade to the war in Ukraine.
New York's Met takes a feminist look at global fashion
New York's Metropolitan Museum has pulled the curtain back on its latest blockbuster exhibit, showcasing women couturiers many of whom have been kept in the shadows of obscurity until now.
G7 leaders agree to restrict imports of Russian diamonds: statement
G7 leaders agreed on Wednesday to restrict imports of Russian diamonds from next year in a tightening of sanctions over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, they said in a statement.
US oil prices slide below $70 a barrel; mixed day for global stocks
US oil prices finished below $70 a barrel for the first time since July on Wednesday on a mixed day for global equities, as traders pondered hopes for interest rate cuts from the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.
COP28 head presses nations to reach climate 'compromise'
The Emirati head of the UN's climate conference pressed countries on Wednesday to strive for common ground and reach a "historic" deal by early next week, giving negotiators days to untangle disagreements over the fate of fossil fuels.
Big US banks balk at new capital rules in Senate hearing
Large US banks railed against new proposed capital requirements at a congressional hearing on Wednesday, joining Senate Republicans in casting the measures as crimping loans to everyday Americans.
Rwanda threatens pull out from migrants deal if UK acts unlawfully
Rwanda on Wednesday warned that it would pull out of a treaty to accept migrants if the UK does not respect international law, as hardliners in London turned the screw on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
US Treasury targets network for fentanyl import
The United States is imposing sanctions on 15 Mexican individuals accused of involvement in importing fentanyl into the country, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday, as Washington seeks to further the fight against the deadly substance.
Hardline ex-minister warns UK PM of poll wipeout over immigration
Britain's hardline former interior minister Suella Braverman on Wednesday issued Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak an ultimatum to get tougher on immigration or face certain wipeout at the polls.
Canada maintains key interest rate at 5%
Canada's central bank on Wednesday held its key lending rate at five percent, citing the global economic slowdown and easing inflation.
Shark net protects swimmers in French Pacific territory
Beach lovers were able to take a dip in New Caledonia's capital Noumea for the first time in months Wednesday, after the French Pacific territory installed a controversial net to keep sharks out.
Cracks in Western support pose new challenge for Ukraine
Ukraine faces growing diplomatic headwinds after its summer counter-offensive against Russia's forces faltered, with aid from vital backers in the United States and EU being increasingly called into question.
Google looks to take generative AI lead with Gemini
Google on Wednesday infused its Bard chatbot with a new-generation artificial intelligence model called Gemini, which it touts as being able to reason better than ChatGPT and other rivals.
Italy's ruling parties kill minimum wage bill
Italy's governing right-wing parties on Wednesday scuppered an attempt by the opposition to introduce a minimum wage, which would have brought the country into line with the majority of the EU.
US October trade deficit widens further on decline in exports
The US trade deficit continued to grow in October due to a fall in exports, according to government data published Wednesday.
US private sector job growth slows in November
Hiring in the US private sector eased in November, as the post-pandemic boom in restaurant and hotel employment moderated, payroll firm ADP said Wednesday.
Stock markets rise on rate-cut hopes
Global equities rose Wednesday with Frankfurt striking a record peak, as investors tracked resurgent hopes of interest rate cuts from the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve.
Volkswagen to reduce workforce as it chases profits
Volkswagen said Wednesday it would cut its workforce over the coming years as the German auto giant seeks to boost its profitability and reboot a faltering shift to electric cars.
Paris officials warn against metro price hikes during Olympics
The mayor's office in Paris has urged the regional transport authority to abandon its plan to near-double metro fares during the Olympics this summer.
EU proposes three-year delay on UK electric car tariffs
Brussels proposed Wednesday a three-year delay on tariffs on the sale of electric vehicles between Britain and the EU that was meant to kick in from January, in a major reversal of its previous position.
Record passengers as airline industry recovers from pandemic
Airlines should carry a record number of passengers next year as the sector puts the Covid-19 pandemic behind it, the industry's top trade association said Wednesday, although profitability remains a concern.
Markets on front foot as US jobs data provide new rate cheer
Equities rose Wednesday after a tepid start to the week as data pointing to a softening US labour market restoked hopes the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates in the new year.
Argentina's Milei doggedly devoted to cloned pooches
He dedicated his election victory to them: the clones he had made of his beloved dog, Conan. Argentina's ultra-libertarian president-elect Javier Milei may be considered barking mad by some, but is nothing if not devoted to his "four-legged children."
High speed rail in US west gets $6bn boost
Proposed high-speed rail lines in the western United States moved a step closer to reality Tuesday with the announcement of $6 billion in government grants.
High speed rail between LA and Las Vegas gets $3bn boost
A proposed high-speed rail line linking Los Angeles with the US gambling and entertainment capital Las Vegas moved closer to reality Tuesday with the announcement of a $3 billion government grant.
'Bad buzz': How video games learnt to embrace diversity
The most notorious, violent and often sexist video game "Grand Theft Auto" is finally dropping a playable woman character into its testosterone-fuelled world, capping a wider trend towards more inclusivity in the gaming industry.
Business as usual: Record number of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP28
NGOs may have slammed the record number of fossil fuel lobbyists at UN climate talks in Dubai, but the industry won't be browbeaten, with the OPEC cartel hosting a chat on "climate initiatives" and one of the heads of the "Big Oil" majors sparring with protesters.
US, European stocks mixed as data comforts rate-cut bets
US and European stocks diverged on Tuesday despite data comforting expectations that central banks may begin cutting interest rates soon.
Killer's wife says role in British student's death 'unforgivable'
The widow of a French serial killer known as the "Ogre of the Ardennes" on Tuesday admitted she played an "unforgivable" role in the 1990 rape and murder of British student Joanna Parrish by her former husband.
EU chief warns China on trade gap ahead of summit
European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen warned Tuesday, ahead of an annual EU-China summit, that Europe won't tolerate its soaring trade imbalance with China forever.
'Turn tragedy into change': Italy mourns femicide victim
Thousands of Italians paid their last respects Tuesday to a university student killed by her ex-boyfriend, a case that has triggered nationwide grief and rage at violence against women.
Stock markets diverge as traders temper rate-cut bets
Major stock markets diverged Tuesday, with analysts warning November's rally fuelled by bets on interest rate cuts may have gone too far.
Asian, European markets drop as traders temper rate cut bets
Stocks fell Tuesday, extending the sell-off seen on Wall Street, with analysts warning November's rally fuelled by bets on interest rate cuts may have gone too far, forcing traders to take a step back.
Moody's downgrades outlook on China credit rating over debt fears
Ratings agency Moody's on Tuesday downgraded the outlook on China's credit rating to "negative" from "stable" on the back of rising debt in the world's second-largest economy, with Beijing saying it was "disappointed" by the move.
Asian markets drop as traders temper rate cut bets
Stocks fell Tuesday, extending the sell-off seen on Wall Street, with analysts warning November's rally fuelled by bets on interest rate cuts may have gone too far, forcing traders to take a step back.
Hollywood braces for actors' vote on strike deal
Hollywood on Tuesday anxiously waited to learn if actors have approved their union's hard-fought deal with studios, or if an entertainment industry still reeling from months-long strikes could be plunged back into turmoil.
Oscar-nominated Bhutan director turns lens on democracy ahead of vote
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, the last country to introduce television, made waves last year with a film director who walked the red carpet of the Oscars.
Man in a wooden suit: Finnish craftsman turns bark to art
In his rustic cabin in the forests of southern Finland, 87-year-old Erkki Pekkarinen carves delicate strips of birch bark with his knife, before intricately weaving them into beautiful objects.