Business and Tech
Taiwan airlines offer sight-seeing flights during pandemic
AFP - 1h ago
Faced with the coronavirus collapse in travellers, Taiwanese airlines have begun offering sight-seeing "flights to …
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Trump says readying executive orders on virus relief package
AFP - 8h ago
President Donald Trump said Friday he was poised to sign executive orders to extend aid to Americans facing hardship due …
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US slaps sanctions on Hong Kong leader in new offensive on China
AFP - 9h ago
The United States slapped sanctions Friday on Hong Kong's leader after effectively forcing Chinese internet giants …
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Trump moves on China apps may create new internet 'firewall'
AFP - 9h ago
A ban by President Donald Trump's administration on Chinese mobile apps such as TikTok and WeChat risks fragmenting an …
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Windows, Gates and a firewall: Microsoft's delicate castle in China
AFP - 9h ago
Microsoft, which is in talks to buy part of Chinese video app TikTok, is one of the few US tech titans that have managed …
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Canada to slap Can$3.6 bln counter-tariffs on US aluminum
AFP - 10h ago
Ottawa will hit American aluminum products with Can$3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) in counter-tariffs, Deputy Prime …
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TikTok, WeChat bans not crucial to US security: experts
AFP - 10h ago
The US bans on Chinese apps TikTok and WeChat are not particularly valuable for US security, experts told AFP Friday, …
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US sees slowing job gains, as White House fails to reach spending deal
Aug 07 2020
The US economy regained 1.8 million jobs in July, a solid but unremarkable result that comes as President Donald Trump …
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Global stocks mixed as US-China tensions rise, Washington deal elusive
Aug 07 2020
Wall Street stocks finished mixed Friday, with the Nasdaq retreating from records, following data showing the US economy …
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Nasdaq falls from record as Washington deal stays elusive
Aug 07 2020
Wall Street stocks finished mixed Friday, with the Nasdaq retreating from a record following solid US jobs data as …
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US economy sees solid but slowing job gains in July
Aug 07 2020
The US economy regained 1.8 million jobs in July, a solid but unremarkable result that comes as President Donald Trump …
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Stocks shrug off US jobs data
Aug 07 2020
Wall Street brushed off data released on Friday showing the US economy adding jobs as US-Chinese tensions mount and a …
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US adds 1.8 mn jobs in July, unemployment rate falls to 10.2%: govt
Aug 07 2020
The US economy added just 1.8 million jobs in July, far fewer than in May and June but not as bad as some economists …
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Chinese WeChat users fear being cut off from US friends
Aug 07 2020
A US ban on the WeChat messaging platform could cut lines of communication between friends in China and America and …
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European stocks steady, dollar rebounds before US jobs
Aug 07 2020
European stock markets steadied and the dollar rallied Friday awaiting key jobs data in the United States, the country …
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Trump order targets Chinese internet giants TikTok, WeChat
Aug 07 2020
US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping restrictions against Chinese-owned social media giants TikTok and …
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Asia markets hit by China-US tensions, stimulus wrangling
Aug 07 2020
A new China-US flare-up sent markets tumbling Friday, while the mood was also soured by US lawmakers' struggles to agree …
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TikTok and WeChat: Chinese apps dogged by security fears
Aug 07 2020
The United States has fired a new salvo in its rivalry with China, ordering sweeping restrictions against Chinese-owned …
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Virus hastens newspapers' slide into shaky digital future
Aug 07 2020
The coronavirus crisis has weighed heavily on print newspapers already battling for survival around the world, with the …
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Singapore company director charged over Wirecard scandal
Aug 07 2020
A company director has been charged in Singapore with falsifying letters linked to scandal-hit German payments giant …
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China exports see unexpected spike in July, imports down
Aug 07 2020
China saw another surprise jump in exports last month as the global economy slowly reopened after virus lockdowns, data …
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Saudi Arabia seeks to tame powerful cyber armies
Aug 07 2020
Online armies of self-styled Saudi patriots riding a wave of state-led nationalism attack critics and what they call …
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Trump order targets Chinese internet stars TikTok, WeChat
Aug 07 2020
US President Donald Trump on Thursday ordered sweeping restrictions against Chinese-owned social media stars TikTok and …
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Asia markets hit as Congress wrangles, China-US tensions simmer
Aug 07 2020
China-US tensions and US lawmakers' struggles to find agreement on a new, much needed economic stimulus pushed equities …
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After Beirut silos gutted, Lebanon faces new wheat woes
Aug 07 2020
Precious wheat spilled out of disembowelled silos, mixing with soot, debris and cement: Beirut's port blast has gutted …
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US job gains may have stalled in July amid virus spike
Aug 07 2020
The promising jobs recovery in May and June may have come to a screeching halt in July as COVID-19 cases spiked and …
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US proposes tougher Wall Street rules for China firms
Aug 07 2020
US officials on Thursday proposed toughening rules for Chinese companies listed on American stock exchanges as recent …
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Tokyo stocks open flat ahead of key US data
Aug 07 2020
Tokyo stocks opened flat on Friday as investors took a wait-and-see attitude ahead of key US jobs data and a long …
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Trump reimposes 10% tariff on Canadian aluminum
Aug 07 2020
President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he had ordered a 10 percent tariff on Canadian aluminum be reimposed, …
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Twitter, Facebook take fresh steps to curb election manipulation
Aug 07 2020
Twitter and Facebook on Thursday announced moves to thwart efforts to deceive or divide voters as the US nears a …
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Uber earnings hit hard as pandemic stalls revenue
Aug 07 2020
Uber on Thursday reported a $1.8 billion loss in the recently ended quarter as the COVID-19 pandemic caused its …
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Nasdaq surges to fresh record as European stocks retreat
Aug 06 2020
Wall Street stocks pushed higher on hopes of fresh stimulus from Washington, outperforming other leading stock markets, …
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Uber sees $1.8 bn loss as pandemic stalls revenue
Aug 06 2020
Uber on Thursday reported a $1.8 billion loss in the recently ended quarter as the pandemic caused its shared-ride …
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Microsoft eyes entire operations of TikTok in talks: report
Aug 06 2020
Microsoft has expanded its talks on TikTok to a potential deal that would include buying the global operations of the …
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US jobless claims dip in latest week, but government help delayed
Aug 06 2020
New applications for jobless benefits returned to a downward path Thursday after two weeks of increases, hitting a new …
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Facebook blocks deceptive pro-Trump campaign from Romania
Aug 06 2020
Facebook said Thursday it took down accounts running a deceptive campaign out of Romania pretending to be Americans …
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Kirchner says suing Google over 'thief' engine search result
Aug 06 2020
Former Argentinian president Cristina Kirchner announced on Thursday that she has filed a defamation lawsuit against …
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US Senate votes to ban TikTok on government phones
Aug 06 2020
The US Senate voted Thursday to bar TikTok from being downloaded onto US government employees' telephones, intensifying …
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US central bank unveils alternative to Facebook's Libra
Aug 06 2020
Noting security concerns posed by Facebook's digital currency Libra, the Federal Reserve on Thursday revealed details of …
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Twitter moves to reduce reach of 'state-affiliated' media
Aug 06 2020
Twitter on Thursday unveiled new steps to curb the spread of content from "state-affiliated media" used to advance a …
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Lufthansa warns of forced layoffs on virus turbulences
Aug 06 2020
German airline giant Lufthansa said Thursday that demand for air travel will return to pre-crisis levels only in 2024 or …
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US jobless claims dip in latest week to 1.19 mn: govt
Aug 06 2020
New applications for jobless benefits resumed their decline after two weeks of increases, hitting a new pandemic low in …
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Turkish lira hits record low as forex reserves dwindle
Aug 06 2020
Turkey's lira set a new record low against the US dollar on Thursday as investors worried about the government's …
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Unemployment in virus-hit Brazil reaches 13.3%, worst in 3 years
Aug 06 2020
Virus-hit Brazil's unemployment rate rose to 13.3 percent in the April-June quarter, its highest in three years, …
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Stocks pause as US stimulus showdown weighs
Aug 06 2020
Stock markets took a breather Thursday after several stronger sessions as nervous investors kept an eye on stimulus …
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BoE sees less severe UK downturn
Aug 06 2020
Britain's economic downturn fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic will be less severe than thought -- but the nation's …
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Stock markets mostly lower as traders hope for US stimulus
Aug 06 2020
Stock markets mostly declined Thursday, with nervous investors keeping an eye on stimulus talks in Washington, while …
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TikTok: Time running out for ByteDance boss
Aug 06 2020
The Chinese billionaire behind teen phenomenon TikTok is a 37-year-old tech guru whose eye for youth trends has blasted …
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Nintendo reports bumper $1 bn net profit in first quarter
Aug 06 2020
Nintendo made a $1 billion net profit in the first quarter, it said Thursday, with gamers stuck at home during the …
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BoE sees less severe UK downturn, leaves rate on hold
Aug 06 2020
Britain's economic downturn fuelled by the coronavirus pandemic will be less severe than thought -- but the nation's …
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Asia markets mostly up as traders hope for US stimulus
Aug 06 2020
Asian markets mostly rose Thursday building on a two-day rally, with nervous investors keeping an eye on stimulus talks …
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Toyota warns of 64% drop in full-year net profit
Aug 06 2020
Toyota on Thursday warned of a 64 percent drop in full-year net profit and reported a slump in quarterly earnings, as …
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'State, what state?' Lebanese together in solidarity and rage
Aug 06 2020
In Beirut's beloved bar districts, hundreds of young Lebanese ditched beers for brooms on Wednesday to sweep debris in …
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California sues Uber, Lyft for driver wage theft
Aug 06 2020
California has filed lawsuits against Uber and Lyft for alleged wage theft by misclassifying their drivers as …
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UniCredit climbs back into profit
Aug 06 2020
Italy's UniCredit bank said Thursday it was back in the black in the second quarter with a net profit of 420 million …
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German industrial orders surge 27.9% in June
Aug 06 2020
New orders for German manufacturing companies surged by 27.9 percent in June, official data showed Thursday, as a …
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Despite debt deal, Argentina's economic woes remain
Aug 06 2020
Argentina's President Alberto Fernandez has reached a deal with creditors to restructure a $66 billion debt following …
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Lufthansa posts Q2 net loss of 1.5 bn euros as virus curtails travel
Aug 06 2020
German airline giant Lufthansa said Thursday it made a net loss reaching 1.5 billion euros ($1.7 billion) in the second …
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A long list of US-China disputes
Aug 06 2020
Tensions between the United States and China have been rising over a range of issues from the handling of the …
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Virus-hit Philippine economy plunges into recession
Aug 06 2020
The Philippines plunged into recession after its biggest quarterly contraction on record, data showed Thursday, as the …
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Virus outbreak shutters huge Papua New Guinea mine
Aug 06 2020
A coronavirus outbreak has forced the closure of a major Papua New Guinea mine, its operator said Thursday, as the virus …
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Asia markets mixed as traders weigh stimulus, China-US tension
Aug 06 2020
Asian markets were mixed Thursday following a two-day rally, with nervous investors keeping an eye on stuttering …
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Facebook, Twitter take aim at Trump 'misinformation'
Aug 06 2020
Facebook and Twitter took aim at US President Donald Trump and his campaign Wednesday over a video post in which he …
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TikTok grab could extend -- or undermine -- US online dominance
Aug 06 2020
A tie-up of TikTok with Microsoft could extend American dominance of the online and social media world. But it may have …
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Coronavirus pandemic leaves Amazon more vulnerable than ever
Aug 06 2020
The indigenous peoples of the Amazon have already seen their homelands ravaged by illegal deforestation, industrial …
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1MDB scandal fugitives hiding in China: Malaysian police
Aug 06 2020
The alleged 1MDB mastermind and other suspects in the scandal are believed to be hiding out in China, Malaysia's police …
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Samsung upgrades folding smartphone in move to rev up sales
Aug 06 2020
Samsung on Wednesday unveiled a second-generation folding smartphone along with other new gadgetry aiming to jump-start …
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Porn video interrupts US court hearing for accused Twitter hacker
Aug 06 2020
A court hearing held via Zoom for a US teenager accused of masterminding a stunning hack of Twitter was interrupted …
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US wants to eliminate Chinese apps from US app stores
Aug 06 2020
The US is expanding its China-targeted Clean Network program to include Chinese-made cellphone apps and cloud computing …
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Facebook removes Trump post over 'false' virus claims
Aug 06 2020
Facebook said Wednesday it had removed a video post by US President Donald Trump in which he contended that children are …
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US offers $10 million reward against election interference
Aug 05 2020
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Wednesday offered a $10 million reward aimed at preventing foreign interference in …
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Stock markets rise as US stimulus seems close
Aug 05 2020
Stock markets on both sides of the Atlantic climbed on Wednesday after a mixed Asian showing, with hopeful traders …
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Brazil's Embraer reports $315 mln in losses
Aug 05 2020
Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer reported second quarter losses of $315 million Wednesday, as sales plunged due …
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Italy threatens to ban Ryanair for virus rule-breaking
Aug 05 2020
Italy's national civil aviation authority ENAC threatened on Wednesday to suspend Ryanair's permit to fly in the country …
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Top Democrats announce probe into US loan to Kodak
Aug 05 2020
Top Democrats in the House of Representatives on Wednesday announced a probe into a $765 million US government loan to …
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Most airlines expect job cuts over next 12 months: survey
Aug 05 2020
Most airlines are considering downsizing their staff over the next 12 months due to the coronavirus crisis, the …
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Canada strikes deals for vaccine candidates with Pfizer, Moderna
Aug 05 2020
Canada announced Wednesday it has signed two agreements with American pharmaceutical firms Pfizer and Moderna for the …
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Subscription gains help NY Times weather ad slump
Aug 05 2020
The New York Times on Wednesday reported strong gains in its digital subscriptions, helping the newspaper weather a big …
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Coronavirus speeds up big oil's shift to green
Aug 05 2020
With oil prices blasted by a double blow of oversupply and demand throttled by the coronavirus crisis, some industry …
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Belgian meat plant quarantines 225 staff
Aug 05 2020
One of Belgium's biggest meat processing plants has sent 225 staff home to quarantine Wednesday after a cluster of …
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US sees deep private hiring slump ahead of jobs data
Aug 05 2020
US private sector hiring slumped in July, the latest sign of the shaky footing of the world's largest economy as it …
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Samsung unveils new version of folding smartphone
Aug 05 2020
Samsung on Wednesday unveiled an upgraded version of its folding smartphone along with other devices aiming to …
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Another 80-mn euros to rescue French winegrowers
Aug 05 2020
France on Wednesday added 80 million euros to a rescue package for its wine-growing sector, battered by US tariffs and …
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Swedish GDP drops 8.6% despite no lockdowns
Aug 05 2020
Sweden's economy shrank 8.6 percent in the second quarter, the nation's statistics service said Wednesday, even though …
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German VAT cut fuels pent-up demand for new cars
Aug 05 2020
Car registrations in Germany showed this year's smallest monthly drop in July as buyers took advantage of a temporary …
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Instagram adds video clips in challenge to TikTok
Aug 05 2020
Instagram on Wednesday added a new short-form video feature to the image-focused platform in a direct challenge to …
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Cruise industry's hopes for August relaunch taking on water
Aug 05 2020
Hopes that the world's cruise industry would be gathering steam again in time for the August holiday month are sinking …
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Italy threatens to ban Ryanair over coronavirus rule-breaking
Aug 05 2020
Italy's national civil aviation authority ENAC threatened on Wednesday to suspend Ryanair's permit to fly in the country …
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European stocks rise, gold hits record awaiting US stimulus talks
Aug 05 2020
European stock markets climbed solidly Wednesday after a mixed Asian showing, with traders tracking talks on a key US …
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BMW swings to first loss in a decade as virus hits sales
Aug 05 2020
German luxury carmaker BMW said Wednesday that it swung into its first loss since 2009 as the coronavirus pandemic …
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Virgin Atlantic files for bankruptcy protection in US as virus bites
Aug 05 2020
Virgin Atlantic has applied for bankruptcy protection in the United States, court filings show, as the British airline …
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Markets rise as investors eye US stimulus talks, gold hits record
Aug 05 2020
Asian markets tracked another record on Wall Street Wednesday as traders monitored talks on a key US stimulus package, …
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Virus-hit Indonesian economy shrinks for first time in two decades
Aug 05 2020
Indonesia's coronavirus-hit economy contracted in the second quarter for the first time in more than two decades, with …
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Bridge repair paralyses Lagos traffic
Aug 05 2020
Monster traffic jams are nothing new for Lagos, but the partial closure of the city's main bridge for repairs has made …
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Not cashing in: virus hits Iraq's Iran-US money trade
Aug 05 2020
In Iraq's Kurdistan region and at the country's Muslim Shiite holy sites, trading US dollars for rials from Iran was …
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Virus highlights plight of Europe's migrant farm hands
Aug 05 2020
From Romania, Poland, Morocco and Thailand, thousands of people flock to Western Europe each year to help farmers …
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Banks snared by Hong Kong sanctions laws as US-China spat spirals
Aug 05 2020
International banks in Hong Kong are caught in the crossfire of competing laws enacted by the United States and China as …
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Virus lays waste to Bulgaria's tourist hotspot
Aug 05 2020
"We need at least 100 charter flights a day," says Plamen Kopchev, head of the hotel owners' association in Bulgaria's …
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Asia markets stutter on stimulus struggles, China-US tensions
Aug 05 2020
Nervous investors struggled Wednesday following the previous day's rally with US lawmakers still unable to thrash out a …
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Countries tighten measures as global virus death toll nears 700,000
Aug 05 2020
France and the Netherlands are gearing up for stricter mask-wearing rules to fight the coronavirus as the global death …
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Virgin Australia closes budget offshoot, fires 3,000 staff
Aug 05 2020
Pandemic-struck airline Virgin Australia announced Wednesday it would close budget subsidiary Tigerair Australia and lay …
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Suspected US teen mastermind pleads not guilty to Twitter hack
Aug 05 2020
The suspected teenage mastermind of a huge Twitter hack pled not guilty Tuesday to allegations he hijacked celebrity …
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