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Chinese lion dance troupe shrugs off patriarchal past
Flinging her male teammate into the air, performer Lin Xinmeng practises China's world-famous lion dance with a troupe that is shrugging off centuries of patriarchal norms.
Asian stocks drop as tariff fears return, new AI programme emerges
Asian markets mostly fell Monday on fresh trade fears after Donald Trump's threat to impose huge tariffs on Colombia in retaliation for its refusal to accept deportation flights from the United States.
Troubled European carmakers to talk fines and EVs with EU
Europe's biggest carmakers will converge on Brussels for talks this week as the EU seeks to chart a way forward for an embattled industry struggling to cope with Chinese competition and climate rules.
Japan's Osaka bans street smoking ahead of Expo 2025
The Japanese city of Osaka on Monday imposed a smoking ban on public streets as part of efforts to become more visitor-friendly ahead of this year's World Expo.
ECB to cut rates again, with a nervous eye on Trump
Eurozone rate-setters are set to cut borrowing costs again this week, confident their efforts to lower inflation will remain on track despite the threat from US President Donald Trump's protectionist agenda.
Universal, Spotify ink multi-year deal
Universal Music Group, the world's largest music company, and streaming behemoth Spotify on Sunday announced a multi-year direct deal that will affect both recording and publishing royalty rates.
Undersea cable between Sweden and Latvia damaged, both countries say
Latvia said it had dispatched a warship on Sunday after damage to a fibre optic cable to Sweden that may have been "due to external factors".
Belarusians near Ukraine border long for end to war
Living 30 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, Belarusian retiree Sergei Budyukhin says the war on the other side of the frontier never feels far away.
US Fed prepares to pause in first rate decision since Trump's inauguration
The US Federal Reserve is expected to announce a pause in rate cuts on Wednesday, as policymakers look to continue tackling inflation under close and vocal scrutiny from President Donald Trump.
Rubbish roads: Nepal explores paving with plastic
Cars speeding along a smooth, black-coloured street in Nepal's Pokhara are also driving over heaps of discarded plastic, transformed into an ingredient in road construction.
US stocks retreat while yen gains on Bank of Japan rate hike
Wall Street stocks retreated Friday as the market's latest rally lost steam, while the yen pushed higher after the Bank of Japan lifted interest rates.
Serbians strike in protest over fatal roof collapse
Thousands of young people took to streets across Serbia on Friday, after student protest organisers called for a general strike over the fatal collapse of a train station roof in November.
Meta plans to invest $60 bn or more in AI this year
Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on Friday said the tech giant plans to invest at least $60 billion in artificial intelligence in 2025, aiming to lead in the technology.
Croatians boycott shopping to protest high prices
Supermarket aisles were quiet across Croatia on Friday as consumers protested high food prices by joining a boycott on shopping.
US home sales in 2024 weakest in nearly 30 years
Sales of previously owned US homes slipped to their weakest level in about three decades last year on the back of high housing prices and mortgage rates, according to industry data released Friday.
Stocks diverge as investors weigh earnings, Trump policies
Global stock markets were pulled in different directions on Friday as investors weighed corporate earnings, economic data and US President Donald Trump's policies.
Beached whales: Airbus grounds its massive Beluga cargo flights
European aerospace giant Airbus confirmed Friday that it was shutting down its speciality freight business using colossal Beluga jets, resulting in the loss of 75 jobs.
IMF chief tells Europe to take page out of US book
With the European economy lagging behind the United States, the head of the International Monetary Fund had a piece advice for the continent on Friday: "Believe in yourself."
Saudis showcase charm offensive in Davos
Two buildings branded "Saudi House" and "Saudi At Davos" stand out on the chic main street of the Swiss Alpine village hosting the World Economic Forum, showcasing the kingdom's growing presence at major international events.
Maltese businessman accused in journalist's murder granted bail
A Maltese businessman behind bars for five years for alleged involvement in the murder of the investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was granted bail Friday, even as he continues to await trial.
Kazakhstan delays release of Azerbaijan plane black box data
The publication of the black box data from an Azerbaijani plane that crashed in Kazakhstan last month has been delayed, a Kazakh official said Friday, after Azerbaijan accused Russia of shooting the airliner.
France asks EU to delay rights, environment business rules
France on Friday asked the European Union to suspend "indefinitely" landmark new rules on environmental and human rights supply chain standards, saying they were too burdensome for businesses.
Troubled Burberry shows sign of recovery despite sales drop
British fashion house Burberry announced Friday a further decline in sales, hit by weak demand in China, but the troubled group is showing signs of recovery under new leadership.
Italy's Monte dei Paschi bids 13.3 bn euros for Mediobanca
Italian bank Monte dei Paschi di Siena said Friday that it was launching a bid for its larger rival Mediobanca in a potential 13.3 billion euro ($13.9 billion) deal that could help reshape the country's banking sector.
How the Taliban restrict women's lives in Afghanistan
The Taliban authorities that rule Afghanistan have imposed a severe interpretation of Islamic law on the population, heavily restricting all aspects of women's lives.
Bank of Japan hikes interest rate to 17-year high, boosts yen
The Bank of Japan increased interest rates on Friday to their highest in 17 years and signalled more hikes to come, sending the yen higher against the dollar.
Catalonia eyes reversal of business exodus after big bank returns
Spanish business circles believe banking giant Sabadell's decision to return its headquarters to Catalonia will entice back the thousands of firms that fled after the region's botched 2017 independence bid.
Tajikistan launches crackdown on 'witchcraft' and fortune-telling
In a block of flats in Tajikistan's capital Dushanbe, a turbaned woman cautiously opened the door of her apartment a chink, letting out a waft of incense.
Bank of Japan hikes interest rate to 17-year high, signals more
The Bank of Japan hiked interest rates on Friday to their highest level in 17 years and signalled more were in the pipeline despite fears of turmoil under US President Donald Trump.
Asian markets build on Trump rally, yen climbs after BoJ cut
Asian markets rose Friday after a record day on Wall Street in response to Donald Trump's tax-cut pledge, while the yen strengthened after a widely expected interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan.
Asian markets build on Trump rally, yen steady ahead of BoJ
Asian markets rose Friday after a record day on Wall Street in response to Donald Trump's tax-cut pledge, while the yen weakened slightly ahead of an expected interest rate hike by the Bank of Japan later in the day.
Fear in US border city as Trump launches immigration overhaul
Venezuelan Josnexcy Martinez, who is staying at a shelter in a Texas border city, said she's afraid of getting swept up in a raid targeting migrants even though she entered the country legally.