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Mariah Carey, Eurythmics, Pharrell enter Songwriters Hall of Fame
Mariah Carey sparkled Thursday as her peers inducted the beloved diva into the prestigious Songwriters Hall of Fame, part of a class that also includes Pharrell, Steve Miller and the Isley Brothers.
WTO strikes landmark deals package after marathon talks
The World Trade Organization concluded a landmark bundle of deals Friday covering fishing subsidies, food insecurity and Covid-19 vaccines following hectic round-the-clock talks.
Russian farmers seek to ride out Western sanctions
Yevgeny Shifanov, co-owner of an organic farm, says his business has felt the sting of Western sanctions and he is no longer able to sell his grain to Europe.
Bank of Japan keeps easing despite global rate hikes
The Bank of Japan on Friday stuck to its monetary easing policy even as other central banks raise interest rates to tame inflation, but said it would "pay due attention" to forex markets as the yen struggles at a 24-year low.
RIP Internet Explorer: South Korean engineer's browser 'grave' goes viral
A South Korean engineer who built a grave for Internet Explorer -- photos of which quickly went viral -- told AFP Friday that the now-defunct web browser had made his life a misery.
Asian markets hit by recession fears, yen drops after BoJ decision
Asian markets mostly fell Friday after another hefty drop in New York as central bank interest rate hikes fan fears of a recession, while the yen sank after the Bank of Japan said it would not yet follow its global peers in tightening policy.
Bank of Japan keeps easing policy despite US, Europe rate hikes
The Bank of Japan on Friday stuck to its long-held monetary easing policy even as other central banks around the world hike interest rates to tame inflation.
Education is key to racism fight, says West Indies legend Holding
Educating the young is the most effective way of combatting racism as armed with the facts they can challenge their peers, West Indies cricket legend and anti-racism campaigner Michael Holding has told AFP.
Most Asian markets on recession fears, Bank of Japan in focus
Asian markets mostly fell Friday after another hefty drop in New York and Europe as central bank interest rates hikes to counter soaring inflation fan fears of a recession.
Drawing a beer: the artist sketching every London pub
Lydia Wood sits opposite The Atlas pub in west London, meticulously adding detail to her drawing of the building and pausing only occasionally to sharpen her pencil.
Last campaign push ahead of poll test for France's Macron
French opposition forces and allies of centrist President Emmanuel Macron were Friday to make a final push for votes ahead of the last round of tense parliamentary elections, where the French leader risks losing his overall majority in the face of a challenge from a resurgent left.
Bolsonaro blamed as UN, activists denounce Amazon murders
The United Nations as well as environmental and rights groups expressed outrage Thursday at the murder of British journalist Dom Phillips and Indigenous expert Bruno Pereira, which they linked to President Jair Bolsonaro's willingness to allow commercial exploitation of the Brazilian Amazon.
Deal or no deal as WTO talks grind into second sleepless night
Marathon talks at the World Trade Organization aimed at stitching together a tit-for-tat deal went round the clock into Friday with a long-sought agreement on fishing subsidies still hanging in the balance.
Stocks tank as central banks hike rates to fight inflation
Stock markets sank Thursday as more central banks hiked interest rates in efforts to tame runaway inflation, actions that raised fears they could spark recessions.
Binance boss bullish despite crypto crash
Cryptocurrencies are here to stay and their dramatic recent crash is just part of an economic cycle, Changpeng Zhao, one of crypto's most influential figures, told AFP in an interview on Thursday.
'Lightyear' makers unfazed by bans in places with 'backward beliefs'
The makers of Disney-Pixar's new blockbuster about Buzz Lightyear told AFP on Thursday that they were warned of a likely backlash against the same-sex marriage it features, but did not care.
WTO talks go deep into overtime
Talks at the World Trade Organization went deep into overtime on Thursday with key holdout India talking up the prospects for a landmark deal spanning food security, fishing and combating Covid-19.
Is recession the only way out of US inflation scourge?
A massive interest rate hike by the US Federal Reserve and promises of more to come are fueling warnings that the only offramp from the searing price hikes engulfing American families is a full-blown recession.
Binance boss bullish despite rypto crash
Cryptocurrencies are here to stay and their dramatic recent crash is just part of an economic cycle, Changpeng Zhao, one of crypto's most influential figures, told AFP in an interview on Thursday.
Ferrari says 80% of its models will be electric or hybrid by 2030
Ferrari unveiled Thursday plans to turn 80 percent of its production into all-electric or hybrid cars by 2030 in a major shift for an iconic brand renowned for its powerful combustion engines.
BoE unveils fifth straight rate hike as inflation soars
The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its main interest rate for the fifth straight time, as it forecast decades-high British inflation to soar further this year to above 11 percent.
Activision board says execs didn't ignore harassment
The board of directors of US video game publisher Activision Blizzard said Thursday that there was no evidence to suggest that management had ignored or minimized accusations of sexual harassment.
Musk to address Twitter staff amid buyout turmoil
Elon Musk is set to field questions Thursday from wary Twitter workers eager to know if he intends to complete his turbulent $44 billion buyout bid and roll back limits for what people can say on the platform.
Binance backs Musk stance over free speech on Twitter
The boss of cryptocurrency exchange Binance told AFP on Thursday that he had pledged $500 million to fund Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter to support free speech.
Stocks tank as central banks hike rates
Stock markets tumbled Thursday as central banks hiked interest rates in efforts to tame runaway inflation which has raised fears of recession.
UN warns of 'alarming rise' of hunger in Sudan
Political and economic turmoil have helped drive a third of Sudan's population towards life-threatening food shortages, and the situation is likely to worsen, the UN said on Thursday.
Hectic horse-trading as WTO talks enter overtime
Talks at the World Trade Organization were going deep into overtime on Thursday with countries trying to thrash out an over-arching deal encompassing food security, fishing and combating Covid-19.
Scandal-hit UK PM loses second ethics chief
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's top ethics advisor said he had quit after the government forced him into an "impossible and odious" position, according to a letter released on Thursday.
BoE unveils fifth rate hike in row as inflation soars
The Bank of England on Thursday hiked its main interest rate for a fifth straight time, as it forecast British inflation to soar further this year to above 11 percent.
Controversial Paris Opera dance chief quits
The director of dance at the Paris Opera, Aurelie Dupont, who faced criticism in the past over her leadership, announced her surprise resignation on Thursday.
Qatar Airways posts 'record' $1.54 bn profit despite pandemic
Qatar Airways on Thursday posted a record net profit of $1.54 billion for the 2021-2022 financial year, a result it attributed to a "successful strategy" during the coronavirus pandemic.
WTO deals still within sight after all-night arm-twisting
Countries were still negotiating on deadline day Thursday after frantically haggling through the night at the WTO in a bid to salvage deals on food security, fishing and combating Covid-19.