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Trump pitches Venezuela oil to US majors - and hits skepticism
US President Donald Trump pressed top oil executives Friday to invest in Venezuela's vast reserves, but was met with a cautious reception -- with one major CEO dismissing the country as "uninvestable" without sweeping reforms.
Stocks shrug off mixed US jobs data to advance
Stock markets advanced Friday despite mixed US jobs data and as traders awaited a possible Supreme Court ruling on US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
Stocks rise despite mixed US jobs data
Stock markets advanced Friday despite mixed US jobs data and as traders awaited a possible Supreme Court ruling on US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
US December hiring misses expectations, capping weak 2025
The United States added fewer jobs than expected in December, government data showed Friday, capping the labor market's weakest year since the Covid-19 pandemic amid growing concerns about hiring.
EU countries override France to greenlight Mercosur trade deal
The EU gave Friday a long-delayed go ahead to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers -- overriding opposition led by France.
Stocks rise ahead of US jobs data and key tariffs ruling
Stock markets advanced Friday as traders awaited the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on US President Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
Germany factory output jumps but exports disappoint
German industrial production unexpectedly jumped in November but exports fell heavily, data showed Friday, offering a mixed picture for Europe's struggling top economy.
Defiant Khamenei insists 'won't back down' in face of Iran protests
Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Friday insisted that the Islamic republic would "not back down" in the face of protests after the biggest rallies yet in an almost two week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living.
Trump says US oil pledged $100 bn for Venezuela ahead of White House meeting
US President Donald Trump said Friday the world’s biggest oil companies pledged to invest $100 billion to revive Venezuela's oil sector as he prepared for a meeting with top industry executives.
Iran rocked by night of protests despite internet blackout: videos
Iranians staged their biggest protests yet of an almost two week movement sparked by anger over the rising cost of living, chanting slogans including "death to the dictator" and setting fire to official buildings, videos showed Friday.
Asian stocks mixed ahead of US jobs, Supreme Court ruling
Asian markets were mixed Friday after a two-day stutter as traders look ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
Crunch time for EU's long-stalled Mercosur trade deal
The EU is expected Friday to give a long-delayed go ahead to a huge trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur championed by business groups but loathed by many European farmers.
Asian stocks rally ahead of US jobs, Supreme Court ruling
Asian markets rose Friday after a two-day stutter as traders look ahead to the release of crucial US jobs data and a possible Supreme Court ruling on Donald Trump's sweeping global tariffs.
Vietnam shrugs off Trump tariffs as US exports surge
Over the whine of buzzsaws and the steady whir of sanders, hundreds of Vietnamese workers in a factory outside Ho Chi Minh City hustle to fill orders for high-end furniture.
Ex-delivery driver gives voice to China's precarious gig workers
A few years ago, Hu Anyan was speeding through the streets of Beijing on a three-wheel motorbike loaded with packages, one of millions of delivery drivers working for China's online retail giants.
Protesters, US law enforcers clash after immigration agent kills woman
Protesters clashed with law enforcement in Minneapolis Thursday after the fatal shooting of a US woman further deepened the divide over President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal forces to crackdown on illegal immigration.
Swiss mining giant Glencore reveals merger talks with Rio Tinto
Swiss mining and commodity trading group Glencore said Friday it was in merger talks with British-Australian rival Rio Tinto to create a global resources giant.
Swiss mining giant Glencore in merger talks with Rio Tinto
Swiss mining and commodity trading giant Glencore said Friday it is in merger talks with British-Australian rival Rio Tinto.
Stocks mixed as traders await US jobs data, oil rebounds
Global stocks were mixed Thursday while oil prices bounced higher as markets looked ahead to key US employment data expected to influence monetary policy.
Aleppo clashes between Syria govt and Kurdish forces rage into third night
Clashes between Syrian government personnel and Kurdish forces raged into the night Thursday on the third day of fighting, as Syrian Kurdish leader Mazloum Abdi warned the violence undermined talks with Damascus.
Three ships head to US with Venezuela oil as capacity concerns grow
Three of 11 vessels chartered by Chevron were Thursday transporting oil from Venezuela to the US, according to an AFP analysis of ship-tracking data, as export sanctions raised concerns over the South American country's storage capacity.
French farmers rage against EU-Mercosur trade deal
Hundreds of French farmers protested in Paris Thursday after rolling into the capital on tractors, angry at a planned EU trade deal with South American bloc Mercosur they fear will create unfair competition.
Syria bombs Kurdish areas in city of Aleppo
Syria's military began heavy bombardment of Kurdish neighbourhoods in the city of Aleppo on Thursday after warning civilians to leave on a third day of fighting.
Stocks retrench as traders eye geopolitics, US jobs data
Stock markets pulled back Thursday as an early-year rally ran out of steam, with investors locking in profits ahead of the release of key US jobs data this week.
US trade gap shrinks to smallest since 2009 as imports fall
The US trade deficit made a sharp and unexpected pullback in October, reaching its lowest level since 2009 as goods imports dropped while President Donald Trump's tariffs took hold, government data showed Thursday.
Spain signs agreement with Church to compensate abuse victims
The Spanish government and the Catholic Church signed a landmark agreement Thursday to compensate victims of sexual abuse by clergy, aiming to settle what officials described as a "moral debt".
'Sign of life': defence boom lifts German factory orders
Factory orders in long-struggling Germany unexpectedly posted a sharp jump in November, boosted by higher demand for defence equipment as Europe rushes to rearm, official data showed Thursday.
Japan's Fast Retailing raises profit forecast after China growth
Japanese retail giant Fast Retailing lifted its 2025-26 annual net profit forecast on Thursday, buoyed by a strong performance in mainland China.
Equity markets mostly down as traders eye US jobs data
Equity markets mostly fell Thursday as the rally that has characterised the start of the year paused with investors looking ahead to the release of key US jobs data this week.
Dancing isn't enough: industry pushes for practical robots
Humanoid robots danced, somersaulted, dealt blackjack and played ping-pong at the Consumer Electronics Show this week, but some in the industry are impatient for them to become more useful, not just a promise of things to come.
Cambodia to liquidate bank founded by accused scam boss
A Cambodian bank founded by accused scam boss Chen Zhi, who has been indicted by the United States over multibillion-dollar fraud and extradited to China, was ordered liquidated Thursday, Cambodia's central bank said.
Farmers enter Paris on tractors in protest at trade deal
French farmers rolled into Paris on tractors Thursday morning in a show of dissent against a free trade deal they fear will create unfair competition.