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Asian markets fall further as US data fans rate fears
Stocks tumbled again Friday in Asia after another round of strong US data reinforced expectations the Federal Reserve will resume its interest rate hikes as officials wrestle with stubbornly high inflation.
Pink macarons and empowerment: a day in the 'World of Barbie'
In the "World of Barbie," the news is always happy, the weather is always perfect, and the kitchen is always full of sweet pink macarons.
Tattoos cover up painful pasts for US sex-trafficking victims
Many tattoos carry a deeper meaning behind them. But for Emily, the "7" on her left leg represents a nightmare, a branding imposed by a pimp.
Musk threatens lawsuit as Twitter rival Threads takes off
Twitter threatened to sue Meta just hours after the Instagram parent company launched Threads, an app it hopes will beat out the struggling site owned by Elon Musk.
What we know about Threads, Meta's 'Twitter killer'
Threads, Mark Zuckerberg's Instagram-based challenge to dethrone Elon Musk's troubled Twitter, has already secured tens of millions of downloads, but it remains to be seen whether this Twitter rival will be a winning one.
Drills, red wine: Ukrainians ready for leak at Russia-held plant
In the southern Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia, couples stroll in a popular park and parents push their children on swings on a hot summer day.
Rome's historic bakery to the popes closes
The Arrigoni bakery has made bread for the popes for almost a century, from rosetta rolls to wholewheat loaves -- but mass tourism has proved deadly and no prayers can save it now.
Stocks sink on higher interest rate fears
Stock markets tumbled on Thursday as investors fretted over the prospect of more US interest-rate hikes and the risk of recession.
US safety regulators demand more records on Tesla Autopilot
US auto safety regulators have demanded additional information about Tesla's Autopilot, threatening civil penalties on the automaker for inadequate response, according to a document request reviewed Thursday by AFP.
Tens of millions sign up to Twitter rival Threads
More than 30 million people have downloaded Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, the company's CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday.
What's behind the sudden easing of S.Africa power cuts?
South Africa's crippling blackouts have shrunk from up to 12 hours a day to just over two hours daily in recent weeks, after inflicting a massive hit on the economy.
TotalEnergies CEO says COP28 chief can press oil nations on climate
The head of French firm TotalEnergies says national oil giants from the Gulf and other nations must pull their weight against global warming, and the Emirati oil executive chairing the COP28 climate summit is right man to press them.
Stocks sink on higher US rate worries
Stock markets sank on Thursday as investors fretted over the prospect of more US interest-rate hikes and the risk to the global economy.
Rise of the robots: UN tries to tackle 'mind-blowing' growth of AI
The mind-blowing growth of artificial intelligence poses many questions that have no answers yet, the United Nations admitted Thursday at its AI summit, attended by some exceptionally life-like humanoid robots.
Record storm cost up to 100 mn euros in damage: Dutch insurers
A record-breaking summer storm that pummelled the Netherlands and Germany, leaving two people dead, has caused as much as 100 million euros ($109 million) in damage, Dutch insures said on Thursday.
Ratcliffe still keen to buy Man Utd as sale process drags on
British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe has said he remains focused on completing a takeover of Manchester United as the battle to buy the Red Devils drags on.
17 dead in gas leak at South African slum
At least 17 people, including three children, died in a slum near Johannesburg from a leak of toxic gas apparently used for scavenging gold at an abandoned mine, rescue services said Thursday.
Stock markets slump on higher US rate worries
Major stock markets slumped Thursday, with the biggest falls in Paris and Hong Kong, as investors fretted over the prospect of more US interest rate hikes and the risk to the global economy.
China says critical metals curbs 'not targeting' any country
China's commerce ministry on Thursday said recent curbs on essential chip-making metals were not aimed at any specific country and that they did not represent a "ban on exports".
Rubbish-clearing divers come to rescue of 'pearl of Kyrgyzstan'
On the shores of Lake Issyk Kul in mountainous Kyrgyzstan, a group of divers show off their haul for the day -- a boat engine, car tyres, bottles, clothes and plastic items.
Equities track Wall St losses as traders brace for more Fed hikes
Markets fell again in Asia on Thursday as traders resigned themselves to more US interest rate hikes after minutes from the Federal Reserve's June meeting showed officials felt more needed to be done to rein in inflation.
Twitter rival Threads crosses 10 mn users within hours of launch
More than 10 million people have signed up to Threads, Meta's rival to Twitter, within the first few hours of its launch, the Facebook parent's CEO Mark Zuckerberg said Thursday.
Mountain of strategic metals stranded in DR Congo begins to shift
A mountain of copper and cobalt worth up to $2 billion is piled up in DR Congo, symbolising the wildly volatile market for metals touted as crucial to the green energy revolution.
'Unimaginable': Austria's highest paradise feels heat of climate change
Ever since Herbert Hoegl and his wife first drove up the majestic Grossglockner High Alpine Road, named after Austria's highest mountain, the breathtaking vistas that the route offers have been imprinted on their minds.
A year after Sri Lanka unrest, Slave Island hungers
As Sri Lankans flocked to a jubilant street party celebrating their president's ouster, retired accountant Milton Perera sat at home pondering whether his family could afford to eat the next morning.
Asia tracks Wall St lower as Fed minutes warn of more hikes
Markets fell again in most of Asia on Thursday as traders resigned themselves to more US interest rate hikes after minutes from the Federal Reserve's June meeting showed officials felt more needed to be done to rein in inflation.
The UK botanist who helped revive Japan's seaweed industry
Each year in southern Japan, dozens of people gather at a seafront shrine to honour a British botanist who never visited the country but is credited with revitalising its crucial seaweed industry.
Twitter rivals pile up with Meta's launch of Threads
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter eight months ago, users irked by the platform's new regime have vowed to move their online presence elsewhere, though the habit has proved hard to break.
Yellen heads to China as US seeks to stabilize ties
US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen is due to arrive in Beijing on Thursday, kicking off a high-level visit aimed at improving communication and stabilizing the tense relationship between the world's top two economies.
Twitter rivals pile up with Meta's Threads launch
Since Elon Musk took over Twitter eight months ago, users irked by the platform's new regime have vowed to move their online presence elsewhere, though the habit has proved hard to break.
Some Fed officials backed rate hike in June, minutes show
Some members of the US Federal Reserve's rate-setting committee supported another interest rate hike in June to tackle high inflation, but ultimately voted for a pause, the Fed announced Wednesday.
Automakers report higher Q2 car sales in US
Leading automakers reported a jump in quarterly US car sales Wednesday, reflecting increased vehicle inventory levels and the support of a strong US labor market.