- FinanceReuters
As Britain decides, Europe grapples with Huawei conundrum
Britain's decision on whether to allow Huawei to supply equipment for 5G mobile networks comes at a delicate time, with debate raging in European capitals over the security implications of reliance on Chinese technology. In Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel's preference for applying the same
NewsAFP NewsStocks, oil fall as China virus rattles markets
Global stocks and oil dropped Monday as panicked investors fled risky assets for safer bets gold, bonds, the dollar and the yen, after China warned that a deadly new coronavirus was spreading fast. Luxury goods makers and airlines suffered particularly on equity markets, as Chinese tourist spending
NewsAFP NewsBelgium's ex-king forced to recognise daughter from affair
Belgium's former king Albert II admitted Monday he is the father of a daughter born from an affair half a century ago after a DNA test he was forced to take came back positive. Recognising he is the "biological father" of Belgian artist Delphine Boel, the 85-year-old ex-monarch said in
NewsAFP NewsAuschwitz survivors sound alarm 75 years after liberation
For what could be the last time, elderly Holocaust survivors returned Monday to the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp 75 years after its liberation, to sound the alarm over a surge in anti-Semitic attacks on two continents. More than 200 survivors from around the globe, some wearing scarves in
NewsAFP NewsJudges rebuke Macron for criticism over case of murdered Jewish woman
French President Emmanuel Macron drew a sharp rebuke from the country's top magistrates on Monday for criticising a court ruling on the 2017 murder of a Jewish woman in Paris. Sarah Halimi, an Orthodox Jewish woman in her sixties, died after being pushed out of the window of her Paris flat by a
- EntertainmentReuters
Bat spit coffee is a hit with Madagascar consumers
In the rich volcanic soils of central Madagascar’s Itasy province grows a rare and fragrant coffee coveted by bats and humans alike. Bat spit gives the beans a uniquely smooth flavour, say consumers, sending demand for an already expensive speciality bourbon pointu coffee soaring to nearly $110 per
NewsAFP NewsChina virus sends shockwaves through Asia tourist industry
A deadly virus that has prompted travel restrictions in China is sending shockwaves through Asia's tourism industry, which has become increasingly reliant on growing numbers of Chinese visitors. At least 81 people have died since the new strain of coronavirus emerged in China's Wuhan, and millions
- FinanceReuters
Sprint loses fewer subscribers than expected on cheaper phone plans
The company said it lost 115,000 postpaid phone subscribers during the quarter ended Dec 31. Analysts were expecting a net loss of 160,000 subscribers, according to research firm FactSet. Sprint, the fourth largest U.S. wireless carrier by subscribers, is facing a multi-state lawsuit against its $26
- NewsReuters
China county offers reward for identifying people from virus-hit Wuhan
A county in northern China is offering 1,000 yuan ($145) to tipsters who report the presence of anyone from Wuhan, epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, who has not already registered with authorities, the local government TV station said on Monday. Zhengding county's TV channel gave two hotline
NewsAFP NewsEmotional final week for British MEPs
The leader of the Labour Party delegation, Richard Corbett, has been a member of the European Parliament (MEP) since 1996. "You get many MEPs coming up to you, giving you hugs, saying very kind words, about what we've done, how much they will miss us," he told AFP.
NewsAFP NewsOne protester killed in south Iraq as anti-govt tents torched
One protester was killed early Monday in Iraq's flashpoint city of Nasiriyah, a medic told AFP, as gunmen stormed the square where anti-government demonstrators had been camped out for months. The men arrived in Habbubi Square just after midnight, torching the tents where protesters had been sleeping
- NewsReuters
Russian operators stop selling tours to China over coronavirus
Russian tour operators have stopped selling package holidays to China due to the coronavirus outbreak there and are only bringing Russian tourists home, Dmitry Gorin, vice president of the Association of Russian Tour Operators, said on Monday. The move was taken at the recommendation of Rosturizm, Russia
NewsAFP NewsNew Delhi to sell full stake in debt-ridden Air India
New Delhi intends to sell its entire stake in the debt-crippled national carrier Air India, the government announced Monday, after failing previously to secure any bids for a majority share. On Monday the civil aviation ministry released a document inviting bids for a 100 percent stake, setting March
NewsAFP NewsWhite-hot looks, strapless gowns and crazy nails at the Grammys
Twenty years ago, Jennifer Lopez shut down the Grammys red carpet with her now legendary barely-there Versace green dress, open to her navel, that sent the internet into a full meltdown. Well, the music industry's brightest stars certainly gave it a go, strutting their stuff Sunday at the Staples
- NewsReuters
In bid to curb virus, China firms tell staff to work from home even after holidays end
SHANGHAI/BEIJING (Reuters) - Chinese corporate giants including Alibaba Group Holding and Tencent Holdings Ltd said they have asked staff to work from home for one week after an extended Lunar New Year break ends, seeking to limit the spread of a new flu-like virus. Alibaba said the measure applied
NewsAFP NewsGuinea economy crippled by protests as fears for mining grow
Guinea's economy is crumbling after months of mass rallies sparked by fears of a third term for President Alpha Conde, with analysts now even worried about the mighty mining sector. Businesses have shut and protesters have rained rocks on police stations, looted property, blocked major roads and
- NewsReuters
Singapore says China virus outbreak will hit its economy this year
Singapore said on Monday that the coronavirus outbreak will hurt its economy this year, as it announced new measures to tackle the disease which originated in China and has spread to the city-state and several other countries. The Southeast Asian travel and tourism hub, which recorded its lowest growth
NewsAFP NewsAuschwitz survivors to issue warning 75 years after liberation
Seventy-five years after the liberation of Auschwitz, a dwindling number of elderly Holocaust survivors will gather at the former German Nazi death camp on Monday to honour its over 1.1 million mostly Jewish victims amid fresh concerns over anti-semitism. More than 200 survivors are to come from across
NewsAFP NewsThe history of Auschwitz-Birkenau
The Nazi German death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau is an enduring symbol of the Holocaust.
NewsAFP NewsWill Brexit see European division at the UN Security Council?
In a recent UN Security Council vote on extending cross-border aid to Syria, Britain aligned with the United States and abstained in a rare split with its European partners that could herald others to come after Brexit. "The United Kingdom is gaining independence," a UN official speaking on
NewsAFP NewsThree rockets hit US embassy in protest-hit Iraqi capital
Three rockets slammed into the US embassy in Iraq's capital on Sunday in the first direct hit reported after months of close calls, as thousands of protesters kept up anti-government sit-ins across the country. The attack marked a dangerous escalation in the spree of rocket attacks in recent months
- FinanceReuters
WeWork inks office space deal with SoftBank-backed Gympass: sources
WeWork has signed a deal to provide space to 250 employees of gym membership app company Gympass in New York, the latest example of the U.S. office-sharing start-up's majority owner, SoftBank Group Corp, using its connections to buoy its business, people familiar with the matter said on Sunday.
- EntertainmentReuters
Rolexes and cars; Lebanese spend big to prise savings from the bank
When she heard Lebanese banks would limit cash withdrawals, Rita, a doctor, rushed out to buy a $10,000 Rolex watch on her credit card, anxious to protect some of her savings. "It's better than keeping my money in the bank," she said. Every week, account holders line up for their quota
NewsAFP NewsJapan will evacuate nationals from China virus city: Abe
Japan will evacuate all its nationals from China's quarantined city of Wuhan, the epicentre of a deadly virus, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Sunday. "We have decided to send back all (Japanese citizens in Wuhan) to Japan if they wish so, by every means including a chartered flight," Abe
NewsAFP News'1917' scoops top Hollywood director prize for Mendes
Hollywood's directors handed World War I thriller "1917" their top annual prize Saturday, one of the final major award shows that typically spells success at next month's Oscars. The win makes British auteur Sam Mendes hot favorite for the best director Oscar -- the Directors Guild
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Chinese hospitals seek donations of masks and gowns to cope with coronavirus outbreak
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