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US central bank ponders huge rate hike to combat price surge
The US Federal Reserve is poised to raise borrowing costs Wednesday amid the troubling acceleration of inflation, with the only question being whether officials will opt for the biggest hike in nearly three decades or a smaller step up.
It's (not) alive! Google row exposes AI troubles
An internal fight over whether Google built technology with human-like consciousness has spilled into the open, exposing the ambitions and risks inherent in artificial intelligence that can feel all too real.
Tampon shortage latest sign of supply chain woes in US stores
Tampons are the latest product disappearing from store shelves in the United States, another illustration of supply chain problems that are complicating daily life, following the troubling shortage of baby formula.
Growing numbers avoiding news as 'too depressing': report
The depressing state of the world is leading people to switch off from the news, the Reuters Institute reported on Wednesday.
Brazil 'confident' VW will pay damages in slave-labor case
Volkswagen appeared Tuesday before a hearing with Brazilian prosecutors to answer to allegations of human-rights violations at a farm the German auto giant ran during Brazil's military dictatorship, including slave labor, rapes and torture.
Stocks mostly fall as markets await aggressive Fed action
Global equity markets mostly fell on Tuesday as markets awaited a key Federal Reserve decision amid rising expectations for an even tougher rate hike than previously telegraphed.
US extends sanctions exemption for energy payments to Russia
Washington said Tuesday it will continue to allow payments to Russia for energy products through December 5, to give European countries time to prepare for a near-total oil embargo in retaliation for Moscow's war on Ukraine.
Tampon shortage latest sign of supply chain issues in US stores
Tampons are the latest product disappearing from store shelves in the United States, another illustration of supply chain problems that are complicating daily life, following the troubling shortage of baby formula.
India all but sinks WTO sustainable fishing deal
India all but sunk the WTO's bid to net a long-sought deal on curbing harmful fishing subsidies when it insisted Tuesday it would only sign up if it is given a 25-year exemption from the restrictions.
More crew of grounded plane prevented from leaving Argentina
The Venezuelan crew of a cargo plane grounded outside Buenos Aires since last week may not leave Argentina, a judge ruled Tuesday after their hotel was raided in a probe into possible Iran terror links.
UK scraps subsidies for electric plug-in cars
Britain on Tuesday axed its £1,500 ($1,800) subsidy for buyers of new plug-in cars as it focuses on other types of electric vehicles, but the news drew anger from the auto sector.
Fed begins meeting with massive hike possible amid price surge
US central bankers opened their two-day policy meeting Tuesday amid a blistering inflation surge that has ignited predictions the Federal Reserve will approve the biggest interest rate hike in more than 27 years.
Heard stands by 'every word' of defamation trial testimony
Amber Heard stands by "every word" of her testimony during the defamation trial against former husband Johnny Depp, she said in an interview released Tuesday.
Musk to face Twitter employees at meeting
Billionaire Elon Musk will address Twitter employees at a meeting this week, the company confirmed Tuesday, in a first since launching his troubled $44 billion bid for the social media platform.
Media giants buy IPL cricket rights for $6.2 billion
India's cricket board said Tuesday it has sold the broadcast rights of the IPL tournament for the next five seasons to global media giants for an eye-popping $6.2 billion.
'Minions' return with hopes of more box office gold
Completely stupid but terribly endearing, the Minions have become one of the most profitable bunch of characters in animation.
Take holiday to grow food, Sri Lanka tells civil servants
Crisis-hit Sri Lanka is asking civil servants to take an extra day off each week to grow crops in their backyards in a bid to forestall a looming food shortage.
Famed Hong Kong floating restaurant towed away after half a century
Hong Kong's Jumbo Floating Restaurant, a famed but ageing tourist attraction that featured in multiple Cantonese and Hollywood films, was towed out of the city Tuesday after years of revitalisation efforts went nowhere.
Families of overdose victims demand action from social media platforms
Families of teens who died after overdosing on drugs they bought through Snapchat and other social media platforms called Monday for tech firms to do more to address the problem.
Keeping China fed as inflation surges brings risk for commodity prices
Bedevilled by high fuel and fertiliser costs, along with a labour crisis driven by Covid-19 restrictions, China risks a smaller autumn harvest that could supercharge demand for commodities just as the world can afford it least.
Lithuania to buy howitzers from France
Lithuania has agreed to buy 18 howitzers from France, both sides' defence ministers announced Monday, as the Baltic country bolsters its arsenal due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
VW faces Brazil hearing over dictatorship-era slavery claims
German carmaker Volkswagen faces an audience with Brazilian prosecutors Tuesday over allegations of human-rights violations at a farm it ran during Brazil's military dictatorship, including slave labor, rapes and beatings.
You can't always get what you want: Jagger gets Covid
Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger on Monday said he had caught Covid, forcing the band to cancel its latest gig in Amsterdam.
'Bear' market: Inflation fears pummel global stocks
Equity markets dove again Monday, with Wall Street officially entering a bear market as investors bet on more aggressive Federal Reserve rate hikes to address runaway inflation.
Scientists map brain network linked to addiction
Researchers said on Monday they had mapped the network in the brain linked to addiction by studying long-time smokers who abruptly quit after suffering brain lesions.
Major markets tumble on heightened recession fears
Global equities, oil prices and bitcoin plunged Monday on heightened recession fears triggered by runaway inflation.
High stakes as Macron battles to keep parliament majority
French President Emmanuel Macron and his allies on Monday began a crucial week of campaigning to save their parliamentary majority, under threat after a first round of voting that galvanised a newly formed leftwing alliance.
IPL cricket rights battle goes into day three
The battle for broadcast rights for the Indian Premier League reached fever pitch on Monday with global media giants reportedly bidding $5.65 billion to show and stream the hugely popular cricket contest.
Ryanair faces strike in Spain during summer break
Spanish unions called on staff at low-cost airline Ryanair on Monday to hold a six-day strike at the start of the summer holidays, the latest action by aviation industry workers to demand better conditions in Europe.
Major markets dive on heightened recession fears
Global equities, oil prices and bitcoin plunged Monday on heightened recession fears triggered by runaway inflation.
In Milan, Ukrainian designers show off their cultural heritage
With their country mired in war, designers from Ukraine were keen to show their works on the sidelines of Milan's furniture fair, seeking to defend and promote a cultural heritage being ransacked by the Russian army.
Bitcoin slumps under $25,000, lowest in 18 months
Bitcoin tumbled Monday to an 18-month low under $25,000 as investors shunned risky assets in the face of a vicious global markets selloff, months after the cryptocurrency hit a record high.
Markets dive on inflation woes as dollar spikes against yen, rupee
Markets tumbled in Asia and Europe on Monday to extend a global rout while the dollar soared after a forecast-beating US inflation print ramped up bets on a more aggressive campaign of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.
UK economy shrinks for second month in a row
British economic output declined for a second month in a row in April, weighed down by decades-high inflation, official data showed Monday.
Markets track Wall St plunge on inflation woes, dollar rallies
Markets tumbled in Asia on Monday to extend a global rout while the dollar soared after a forecast-beating US inflation print ramped up bets on a more aggressive campaign of Federal Reserve interest rate hikes.
Yen slides to 24-year low against dollar
The yen plunged to its lowest level against the dollar since 1998 on Monday as sky-high US inflation fuels a widening monetary policy gap between Japan and the world's largest economy.
Google pays $118 mn to settle gender discrimination suit
Google said on Sunday that it was "very pleased" to be settling, without admission of wrongdoing, a class-action lawsuit that argued it underpaid female employees and assigned them lower-ranking positions.
Flood of net zero vows suffer 'credibility gap': report
While countries, cities and companies have massively ramped up net-zero emissions promises in recent months there remain "major flaws" in many plans, according to an analysis published Monday that raises fears of potential large-scale greenwashing by businesses.
Cautious optimism at high-stakes WTO meet
The World Trade Organization chief voiced cautious optimism Sunday as global trade ministers gathered to tackle food security threatened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, overfishing and equitable access to Covid vaccines.