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Stocks mostly higher despite renewed rate hike worries
European and US equity markets mostly rose Thursday as investors bet on whether the Federal Reserve would keep raising US interest rates to combat stubbornly-high inflation.
Pakistan failing in every economic index: key survey
Pakistan failed to meet any economic growth targets for the fiscal year 2022-23, according to a key government report released Thursday -- a day before the new budget is to be presented to the national assembly.
Shares of renationalised French power firm EDF delisted
Shares in French power firm EDF were delisted on Thursday, nearly a year after the government decided to nationalise the firm to revitalise the country's nuclear power sector and help decarbonise the economy.
Family firm of UK's Princess Kate owes £2.6 mn
The family firm that turned the parents of Princess Catherine -- the wife of the heir to the British throne -- into millionaires left debts of nearly £2.6 million ($3.2 million) when it collapsed last month, a report by insolvency specialists has revealed.
UK clamps down on cryptocurrency sector
Britain's financial regulator on Thursday tightened rules over the promotion and selling of cryptocurrency as it seeks to protect consumers.
Turkmenistan vows to end smoking within two years
Turkmenistan's authoritarian leader launched an "unprecedented" anti-smoking crusade Thursday, ordering the Central Asia country to rid itself completely of tobacco within two years.
Stocks mixed as rate hike worries return
Major stock markets diverged Thursday as investors bet on whether the Federal Reserve would keep raising US interest rates to combat stubbornly-high inflation.
'Savings running out': high inflation hits Hungarians
Antal Palya looks for the cheapest cuts of chicken at a Budapest market. Others in Hungary, home to the European Union's highest inflation rate, now need food aid. For some in the middle-class, even poverty looms.
Eurozone in recession at start of 2023
The eurozone entered into a technical recession at the start of the year, shrinking by 0.1 percent for a second consecutive quarter, figures from the EU's statistic agency showed Thursday.
World warming at record 0.2C per decade, scientists warn
Record-high greenhouse gas emissions and diminishing air pollution have caused an unparalleled acceleration in global warming, 50 top scientists warned Thursday in a sweeping climate science update.
Markets mostly turn lower as rate hike worries return
Renewed fears that the US Federal Reserve will lift interest rates next week sent most markets into reverse Thursday, tracking losses across Wall Street and Europe, while traders were looking for measures from China to boost growth.
Campaigners see hope in Japan same-sex union rulings
A Japanese regional court on Thursday ruled the country's failure to recognise same-sex unions an "unconstitutional situation", offering hope to campaigners who have brought a series of lawsuits with mixed results.
Asian markets turn lower on fresh rate hike worries
Renewed fears that the Federal Reserve will lift interest rates next week sent Asian markets into reverse Thursday, tracking losses across Wall Street and Europe, while traders were looking for measures from China to boost growth.
Priests in Bolivia 'saints by day, demons by night': alleged victim
A Bolivian former seminarian who says he was the victim of a vast sex abuse network in the Catholic Church has told AFP of decades of "hell" meted out to children by men of the cloth.
Pope awake and joking after hernia operation
Pope Francis was said to be awake and cheerful Wednesday after undergoing a three-hour hernia operation which has revived concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.
US sets $5 mn reward for Swede who marketed encrypted phones to traffickers
The United States offered a $5 million reward Wednesday for the Swedish man who marketed an encrypted communications network for drug traffickers -- unaware that the technology was developed by the FBI.
Stocks slip as Canada raises interest rates
Stocks slipped Wednesday after Canada's central bank made a surprise interest rate hike, dampening hopes that the US Federal Reserve would skip an interest rate increase later this month.
Rights group sues Ethiopian Airlines for 'discriminating' against Tigrayans
National flag carrier Ethiopian Airlines has been summoned for a court hearing Friday over claims by a human rights group that it discriminated against travellers from Tigray, according to court documents seen by AFP.
Canada central bank raises key lending rate to 4.75%
Canada's central bank on Wednesday increased its key lending rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 percent, as the economy surged unexpectedly and inflation remained stubbornly high.
French parliament chief to block bid to axe pension overhaul
France's opposition parties on Wednesday vowed to submit a no-confidence motion against the government after the parliament speaker said she would block an attempt to repeal an unpopular pension overhaul that raised the retirement age.
Pope in hospital for operation on painful hernia
Pope Francis was to undergo Wednesday an operation on a painful abdominal hernia, reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.
Stocks subdued on weak Chinese economic data
European and US stocks edged higher Wednesday as investors weighed data showing weakness in China's economy and hopes that the US Federal Reserve would skip an interest rate hike this month.
All-time high export volumes widen Canada trade surplus
Canada's trade surplus widened sharply to Can$1.9 billion (US$1.4 billion) in April, as exports rebounded to an all-time high in terms of volumes, the national statistical agency said Wednesday.
Pullback in exports widens US trade gap in April
The US trade deficit grew in April on a pullback in exports, bringing the gap to its widest since October 2022, according to government data released on Wednesday.
Stocks mostly drop after weak Chinese economic data
Stock markets mostly retreated Wednesday as data showed ongoing weakness in China's economy, offsetting hope that the Federal Reserve would skip an interest rate hike this month.
Pope to undergo operation for painful hernia Wednesday
Pope Francis will undergo an operation for a painful abdominal hernia on Wednesday, reviving concerns over the 86-year-old's increasingly fragile health.
Deadly booze brings profit and pain to Kenya's streets
Along a polluted riverside, smoking charred oil drums in Mathare are cooking up chang'aa, a potent liquor that's both a scourge and a lifeline.
EU approves first vaccine against common respiratory virus
The European Commission has followed the United States in approving the world's first vaccine for the Respiratory Syncytial Virus, to be used by adults aged 60 and over, its maker GlaxoSmithKline said Wednesday.
Chinese snooker vows crackdown after match-fixing scandal
Chinese snooker vowed Wednesday to crack down on betting and launch an education drive after 10 players from the country were banned from the sport, two for life.
Stocks mixed as China data points to more weakness
Markets swung Wednesday as data showed ongoing weakness in China's economy as speculation swirls that officials will unveil fresh stimulus measures, while investors held out hope the Federal Reserve will skip an interest rate hike this month.
OECD slightly raises world GDP growth forecast to 2.7%
The OECD slightly raised its growth outlook for the world economy on Wednesday as inflation eases and China has dropped Covid restrictions, but it warned the recovery faces a "long road".
China trade with Russia hits highest level since start of Ukraine war
China's total trade with Russia in May soared to levels not seen since the beginning of Moscow's war in Ukraine, official data showed Wednesday, as Beijing steps up support for its sanctions-hit ally.
UK PM in Washington to meet Biden and talk tech, Ukraine
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak flew in to Washington late Tuesday lobbying for Britain to take a lead role in regulating artificial intelligence, after a dire warning of the technology's existential dangers.
China's exports fall 7.5% in May, adding to stimulus talk
China's exports fell in May for the first time since February, data showed Wednesday, breaking a two-month growth streak as a post-Covid rebound faded and adding to speculation that officials will unveil fresh stimulus measures.
Asian stocks edge higher on Fed hope but traders remain wary
Most markets crawled higher Wednesday on speculation that China will unveil measures to support its struggling economy, while investors held out hope the Federal Reserve will skip an interest rate hike this month.
Blinken discusses human rights with Saudi crown prince
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed human rights with Saudi Arabia's crown prince Tuesday during a trip aimed at boosting ties with the long-time ally, which has forged closer relations with Washington's rivals.
US steps up crypto crackdown with Coinbase suit
In their second major action against a big crypto player in two days, US regulators sued Coinbase on Tuesday, alleging its failure to register as a securities exchange venue exposed investors to risk.
Oil slips after Saudi-driven rally while equities edge higher
Oil prices slid Tuesday as dealers mulled the weak demand outlook after having rallied the previous day on output cuts from key crude producer Saudi Arabia.
CIA knew of Ukraine plan to blow up Nord Stream pipeline: report
A European spy agency told the CIA it knew of a Ukraine special operations team plan to blow up the Nord Stream gas pipeline three months before explosions damaged the undersea system last year, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.