Sawt Falasteen - Economy

Peace pioneer Bertha von Suttner's message still resonates

The first woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1905, Austrian pacifist Bertha von Suttner's reflections are still cited by peace advocates as the war in Ukraine grinds on.

Oil extends rally on supply woes as dollar holds gains on US rate talk

Oil extended gains Thursday to a fresh one-year high and towards the $100-a-barrel mark on concerns about growing demand and waning supplies, while bets on another US interest rate hike kept the dollar elevated against its peers and equities mixed.

China's Evergrande Group halts trading in Hong Kong

Beleaguered property giant China Evergrande suspended trading of its shares on the Hong Kong stock exchange on Thursday, according to notices posted by the bourse, as the debt-ridden company grapples with severe financial difficulties.

Trump's business empire threatened by judge's ruling

A key selling point of Donald Trump's 2016 presidential run was that he was a businessman, not a politician.

Meta putting AI in smart glasses, assistants and more

Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg on Wednesday said the tech giant is putting artificial intelligence into digital assistants and smart glasses as it seeks to gain lost ground in the AI race.

Depardieu art collection sells for 4 million euros

A sale of artworks belonging to French actor Gerard Depardieu brought in some four million euros, Paris auction house Ader said Wednesday.

Talk shows coming back after Hollywood writers' strike ends

Late-night talk shows, a mainstay of the US TV schedule, will be back on the air within a week, hosts said Wednesday, after leaders of the Writers Guild of America called off a paralyzing strike.

Brain implants could restore paralyzed patients' arm movements

A paralyzed Swiss man has become the first person to test a new technology that reads his thoughts using AI and then transmits signals through his own nervous system to his arms, hands and fingers in order to restore movement.

What happens if US government enters a shutdown?

The United States is heading toward a government shutdown this weekend with no foreseeable way out of a deadlock in Congress over hardline Republican calls for deep spending cuts.

US sues eBay for selling products that harm environment

The US Justice Department sued eBay on Wednesday for allegedly selling restricted pesticide products and devices that defeat motor vehicle emission controls.

Stocks struggle to make headway against inflation, rate fears

European stocks closed lower Wednesday and Wall Street slipped back from early gains on expectations that inflation will keep US interest rates high, which also drove investors to seek safety in the dollar.

Inuit versions of Metallica, Pink Floyd tackle Indigenous trauma

They are classics by Pink Floyd, Queen and Metallica like you've never heard them. Translated into her Inuit language, singer Elisapie uses them to convey the hopes and trauma of Canada's Indigenous people.

TotalEnergies to raise fossil fuel production

French oil and gas major TotalEnergies said Wednesday that it would boost fossil fuel production over the next five years, a reversal after years of reducing output.

Nearly half of Karabakh population flees Azerbaijan's control

Armenia said Wednesday that nearly half of Nagorno-Karabakh's population has fled the enclave since Azerbaijan crushed the rebels' decades-long fight for an independent state last week.

France hopes for 'ambitious' growth in budget plan

The French government on Wednesday presented a budget plan based on a buoyant growth prediction that raised eyebrows at France's public finance watchdog.

Indonesia bans goods transactions on social media platforms

Indonesia has banned goods transactions on social media platforms in a new regulation, its trade minister said Wednesday, as Jakarta aims to rein in direct sales on major platforms it says are harming millions of small businesses.

Stock markets diverge as uncertain outlook buoys dollar

World stocks markets were mixed Wednesday as the dollar hit multi-month peaks on expectations of more hikes to US interest rates to combat persistently high inflation.

Poland says open to Ukraine grain proposals ahead of talks

Poland's agriculture minister said on Wednesday that his country remained open to a Ukrainian proposal for a grain import licensing system, adding that the thorny issue would be discussed in the coming weeks.

Markets mostly up but US rate outlook feeds uncertainty

Markets mostly rose Wednesday following hefty recent losses but traders remain consumed by worries over the economy as the Federal Reserve considers hiking interest rates further.

Asian markets mixed but US rate outlook feeds uncertainty

Markets were mixed Wednesday as the hefty selling witnessed in the first few days of the week eased but traders remain consumed by worries over the economy as the Federal Reserve considers hiking interest rates further.

Students see glimmer of hope in post-Bongo Gabon

At Omar Bongo University in Gabon's capital, student Nathan Ovono Obiang is as absorbed by what's going on in his post-coup country as he is in his maths lessons.

'Save our village': Indonesians resist eviction for China-backed project

Sitting on a creaky bridge linking stilt houses, Indonesian fisherman Sadam Husen fears for his people and their traditions, knowing they may be uprooted from their ancestral land to make way for a China-funded megaproject worth billions.

Police hold boss of troubled developer China Evergrande: report

The billionaire boss of beleaguered Chinese property developer China Evergrande is being held by police, a report said Wednesday, as the debt-ridden company grapples with severe financial difficulties.

Boss of Chinese property giant Evergrande being held by police: report

The billionaire boss of beleaguered Chinese property developer Evergrande is being held by police, Bloomberg reported Wednesday, as the debt-ridden company continues to grapple with severe financial troubles.

Asian markets swing but US rate outlook feeds uncertainty

Markets flittered between gains and losses Wednesday as the hefty selling witnessed in the first few days of the week eased but traders remain consumed by worries over the economy as the Federal Reserve considers hiking interest rates further.

Rising crime in US capital divides politicians, puzzles researchers

Violent crime is on the rise in the US capital, where a 28-percent uptick in homicides this year has left researchers perplexed and politicians pointing fingers.

Hit soccer video game adds mixed-gender teams, sheds FIFA name

The blockbuster soccer video game franchise from Electronic Arts, no longer linked to FIFA, will allow mixed-gender lineups in fantasy matches that have triggered sexist pushback even before the Friday release.

Sacred cow: Ball makers break taboos for India's favourite sport

Stitching together cricket balls is a wearisome task for leatherworker Bunty Sagar, whose labours are frowned upon by many fellow Indians even if he makes their favourite pastime possible.

World Bank chief vows to tackle 'dysfunctionality' at development lender

World Bank President Ajay Banga said Tuesday that he is working to reform "dysfunctionality" in the boardroom of the development lender, and pledged to refocus its mission to better address the challenges posed by climate change.

With shutdown looming, US Senate offers short-term budget fix

The US Senate drafted a last-ditch short-term budget proposal Tuesday as time was running out on Congress to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Biden makes history by joining US picket line

Joe Biden became the first sitting US president to stand on a picket line Tuesday, joining striking auto workers in Michigan in a bold pitch for blue collar votes against likely election rival Donald Trump.

Biden makes history by joining US auto workers picket line