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European defence stocks soar as govts up military spend
Share prices of European defence companies soared Monday as London and the European Union look to ramp up military spending in the face of uncertainty over the United States' commitment to Ukraine and NATO.
Asian markets creep up on hopes of China fiscal response to Trump tariffs
Asian markets rose cautiously on Monday, with investors eyeing a potential Chinese stimulus package and President Donald Trump's looming tariffs.

7-Eleven to replace CEO in Couche-Tard takeover battle: reports
7-Eleven's owner is set to replace its CEO as the Japanese convenience store giant battles a $47-billion takeover bid by Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT), reports said Monday.

AI, trade tensions to mark Barcelona mobile industry meet
Frantic optimism about artificial intelligence's potential to empower gadgets is set to clash with fears about trade tensions stoked by the White House at this week's Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona.

ECB to cut rates again as debate heats up on pause
The European Central Bank is expected to cut interest rates again this week in a bid to boost the floundering eurozone economy, even as debate heats up about when to hit pause.
Asian markets climb on hopes of China fiscal response to Trump tariffs
Asian markets climbed on Monday on hopes that China will announce a huge stimulus package that will help offset US President Donald Trump's looming tariffs against Chinese goods.

Sean Baker: chronicler of sex work, Oscar winner
Sean Baker, whose career chronicling the lives of sex workers and marginalized communities has made him a leading light of the US indie movie scene, won the Oscar for best director on Sunday.

Asian markets climb on China fiscal hopes against Trump tariffs
Asian markets climbed on Monday on hopes that China will announce a huge stimulus package that will help offset US President Donald Trump's looming tariffs against Chinese goods.

Trump's fentanyl tariffs hold wider political aims: analysts
In doubling down on tariffs targeting Canada, Mexico and China, US President Donald Trump cites a lack of progress on tackling fentanyl, but analysts say the drug crisis is just one of his political goals.

Trump's deportation threats send shivers through farmworkers
With planting season well under way in California, the leading US food-producing state, fear is taking root among thousands of migrants who labor to feed a country that now seems ready to deport them.

High-stakes father-son feud rocks Singapore property giant
A high-stakes father-and-son feud has plunged Singapore property giant City Developments Ltd (CDL) into turmoil, with the private boardroom dispute of one of the city-state's wealthiest families erupting into public view this week.

China signals renewed tech sector support, but concerns linger
A simple handshake between President Xi Jinping and once-shunned entrepreneur Jack Ma sent Chinese tech stocks booming in recent weeks as it was interpreted as the latest sign the sector is being brought in from the cold -- though experts advise caution.

US stocks finish gloomy week on positive note
Wall Street stocks finished a downcast week on a positive note Friday on a mixed day for global equities, while bitcoin slid below $80,000 for the first time since November.

Why Mexican manufacturers seem unfazed by threat of Trump tariffs
If US President Donald Trump is to be taken at his word, Mexican imports to the United States will be hit with 25-percent tariffs on Tuesday.

Nigeria president says end in sight for economic crisis
Nigeria is heading towards the "light at the end of the tunnel" as the country grinds through the second year of a cost-of-living crisis, President Bola Tinubu said Friday.

Italy breaks 'taboo' with push to revive nuclear
Italy's cabinet opened the door Friday to a return to nuclear power, aiming to overturn nearly 40 years of opposition -- though experts say any revival is at least a decade away.

Microsoft retires Skype, internet call pioneer
Microsoft on Friday announced it was retiring Skype, the online voice and video call pioneer that the tech titan acquired in 2011.

Wild AI, a royal letter and big hugs - a week in Trumpworld
President Donald Trump closed out a packed week at the White House after hosting a string of eager-to-please guests, and generating the usual eye-popping menu of news items.

US Fed's favored inflation gauge cooled slightly in January
The Federal Reserve's preferred inflation measure cooled slightly in January, according to government data published Friday, although it remained stuck above the bank's long-term target.

UK firms cautiously optimistic on US trade deal prospects
Hopes of a trade deal between Britain and the United States, reignited by President Donald Trump's positive comments after meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer this week, prompted cautious optimism Friday from a UK business sector keen to avoid tariffs.
Stocks weighed down by Crypto 'meltdown', tariff uncertainty
Bitcoin slumped below $80,000 on Friday for the first time since November, while equities diverged following President Donald Trump's latest volley of tariffs.

Over 200 defective Paris Olympics and Paralympics medals to be replaced
The French Mint has received 220 requests to replace medals won at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics, it told AFP on Friday.

Man, 90, suspected of killing two in Belgium nursing home
A 90-year-old man accused of killing his wife three years ago is suspected of stabbing to death two elderly residents of a nursing home in Belgium, officials said Friday.
Stock markets mostly retreat as tariff uncertainty weighs
Asian stock markets slumped and Europe mostly retreated Friday after President Donald Trump's latest volley of tariffs, though London edged higher amid hopes of a US-UK trade deal.

Liverpool post £57 mn loss for 2023/24 season after Champions League absence
Liverpool on Friday posted a loss before tax of £57 million ($72 million) for the 2023/24 season as their Champions League absence and soaring administrative costs took a toll.

Huge protests, strikes paralyse Greece on train crash anniversary
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Athens and other Greek cities to mark the second anniversary of the country's worst rail tragedy as strikes caused a general standstill.
Asian markets thumped as Trump tariff salvo fans fresh fears
Asian markets tumbled on Friday as US President Donald Trump's volley of tariff measures sparked fresh fears about a global trade war that could hammer struggling economies.

Off leash: China's pet industry shines in ailing economy
Patterned poop bags, frilly dog dresses and exotic animals including wombats and meerkats were on display at a bustling pet expo in Beijing, where the industry continues to thrive despite a sluggish economy.

Nigerians displaced as rents double in inflation-hit Lagos
Nigeria's economic crisis is hitting renters in Lagos hard as landlords pass down the costs of spiralling inflation -- pushing residents further out, upending children's education and adding to workers' already infamous commutes.
China vows response to latest US tariffs also targeting Canada, Mexico
China on Friday vowed to take "all necessary countermeasures" after US President Donald Trump said he would impose an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese imports.

Worry, confusion as Vietnam slashes public jobs
Senior Vietnamese official Nguyen Linh believes he has much more to give in the job he has worked his whole life but will soon retire as part of a radical government cost-cutting drive approved last week.

Asian markets tumble as Trump tariff salvo fans fresh fears
Asian markets tracked losses across the world Friday as US President Donald Trump's volley of tariff measures sparked fresh fears about a global trade war that could hammer struggling economies.