NewsAFP News'Humour saved my life', says subversive director John Waters
Big smile flashing and pencil-thin moustache quivering, subversive director John Waters laughs heartily as he looks back at an improbable 40-year career that made him a trash film icon. "Humour saved me, saved my life," the 73-year-old sharp-dresser told AFP on the sidelines of the Thessaloniki
NewsAFP News'All guns blazing' as Madrid races to host climate summit
With 10 days left until the COP25, Spain is working at breakneck speed to pull off the logistical "miracle" of organising the world's top climate summit in just a few short weeks. A vast event which runs from December 2-13, the UN climate summit had been due to take place in Chile until
NewsAFP NewsGeneral strike as thousands protest Colombia's government
Tens of thousands of Colombians took to the streets of the capital Bogota on Thursday amid a general strike to protest the policies of President Ivan Duque's right-wing government. There were reports of clashes and arrests as trade unions, students, opposition parties and the South American country
- FinanceReuters
Army examines TikTok security concerns after Schumer's data warning
WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Army is undertaking a security assessment of China-owned social media platform TikTok after a Democratic lawmaker raised national security concerns over the app's handling of user data, Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said on Thursday. Speaking to reporters
NewsAFP NewsStock markets slip as trade war fears resurge
Global stocks retreated Thursday on continued doubts about US-China trade talks while the OECD slashed its growth outlook, citing the protracted trade conflict. Investors, already nervous about the slow progress of the talks, became even more cautious after both houses of Congress overwhelmingly approved
NewsAFP NewsUkraine protesters demand no 'capitulation' to Russia
Thousands of Ukrainians demonstrated in Kiev on Thursday to demand no "capitulation" to Moscow as President Volodymyr Zelensky prepares for a December summit meeting with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. The pair are due to meet for the first time since Zelensky's election last April
- FinanceReuters
Telefonica signs deal to use AT&T infrastructure in Mexico
Telefonica has signed a contract to use the so-called last-mile network of its U.S. rival AT&T in Mexico, the local chief executive of the Spanish telecommunications company said on Thursday. Telefonica Mexico CEO Camilo Aya said the deal with AT&T was not exclusive and that the Spanish company'
NewsAFP NewsPutin honours 'hero' pilots for Russian corn field landing
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday bestowed the country's top state honour on two pilots who safely landed a plane carrying more than 230 people in a corn field after a bird strike. At a ceremony in the Kremlin, Putin handed pilot Damir Yusupov and co-pilot Georgy Murzin the Hero of Russia
- FinanceReuters
Uber denies report it in talks with Germany's Wirecard
Ride hailing company Uber denied a German magazine report on Thursday that it was considering hiring Wirecard as its main payments partner to replace Dutch platform Adyen. "We are not in conversations with Wirecard for card acquiring," an Uber spokeswoman said in an email to Reuters when asked
- FinanceReuters
WeWork to lay off 2,400 employees in SoftBank revamp
WeWork said on Thursday it is laying off around 2,400 employees, almost 20% of its workforce, as the office-sharing company seeks to drastically cut costs after it transformed from a Wall Street darling into a pariah in a matter of weeks. The long-anticipated layoffs are the biggest move yet by Japanese
- NewsReuters
Swiss ABB robots photographed in North Korean factory: NK News
Swiss engineering firm ABB said on Thursday it had upheld international sanctions on North Korea but its machinery may have been sold to the country without its permission, after photos emerged purporting to show ABB robots in a factory. South Korean-based website NK News highlighted photos published
- FinanceReuters
Xerox threatens hostile bid unless HP opens its books
HP on Sunday rejected Xerox's offer of $22 per share, saying it undervalued the company, and that it was open to exploring its own bid for the U.S. printer maker. "We are confused by this reasoning in that your own financial adviser, Goldman Sachs & Co, set a $14 price target with a 'sell
- NewsReuters
Trump wants Apple to be involved in 5G infrastructure building in U.S.
"They have it all - Money, Technology, Vision & Cook!" Trump tweeted, without elaborating on how he expects the iPhone maker to contribute. Apple is not known to have made any investments in 5G telecoms infrastructure to date and is yet to release a 5G device.
NewsAFP NewsGoldman Sachs CEO says 'no gender bias' in Apple Card
Goldman Sachs chief executive David Solomon on Thursday denied allegations of gender discrimination against an artificial intelligence programme used for setting credit limits for a new card from tech giant Apple. A New York financial regulator said Saturday it is investigating claims that women were
- FinanceReuters
China food delivery firm Meituan continues strong run since listing
Chinese food delivery giant Meituan Dianping beat market expectations with a 44% jump in third-quarter revenue and a second straight quarterly profit, as it increased its dominance in the business. Competition in China's food delivery sector has become less cut-throat as companies roll back profit-damaging
NewsAFP NewsChildren of Colombia's peace growing up among landmines
The children in the school playground are the kids of former guerrillas, born during the peace process that allowed their parents to finally lay down their arms. "And it kills you." Sitting in their recreation area, some 15 children huddle with a mine-risk education team (ERM) visiting their
NewsAFP NewsGreece: Turkey needs to end 'blackmail' for migrant aid
Greece's migration minister said that Turkey needs to stop "blackmail" if it wants more EU aid, saying its loaded language had prompted a spike in movement toward Greek shores. Speaking to AFP on a visit to Washington, Giorgos Koumoutsakos voiced alarm over threats by President Recep Tayyip
NewsAFP NewsThree navy ships held by Russia return to Ukraine port
Three navy vessels that Moscow seized last year and handed back to Ukraine have arrived at a Ukrainian port, though Kiev said they were stripped of some equipment. The Nikopol, the Berdyansk and the Yany Kapu were seized in November last year in the Kerch Strait, in the most serious confrontation between
NewsAFP NewsChickTok: Indonesian kids given pets to wean them off smartphones
Officials in one Indonesian city have hatched a plan to wean children off smartphones -- by giving them their own fluffy chicks to raise. Around 2,000 four-day-old chicks will be handed out to pupils at elementary and junior high schools in Bandung in the coming weeks in an attempt to distract the kids
- FinanceReuters
Alibaba, Aramco share sale bonanza fails to produce fee windfall for banks
A late-year rush of giant global share sales led by Alibaba's $13 billion Hong Kong listing and Aramco's $26 billion initial public offering is failing to deliver an equivalent payday for equities bankers. Filings on Thursday revealed 17 banks will split up to $32.3 million for Alibaba Group
- FinanceReuters
Apple supplier Japan Display says executive embezzled $5.25 million
Japan Display Inc said on Thursday it dismissed an accounting executive last year for embezzling about $5.3 million over four years since the Apple Inc supplier went public in 2014. JDI said in a statement it had filed a criminal complaint against the former employee and that it was cooperating with
NewsAFP NewsOligarch Lebedev backs UK release of Russia meddling probe
Russian oligarch and former UK newspaper owner Alexander Lebedev responded angrily Wednesday to media allegations that a British government report on Russian interference could contain damaging information about his relationship with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Lebedev said Wednesday however that
NewsAFP NewsSister of French IS brothers jailed for terrorist association
A French court on Wednesday jailed Anne Diana Clain, whose two brothers were notorious propagandists for Islamic State, for nine years for terrorist association. Paris's criminal courts handed down the sentence to Clain, 44, for having attempted between 2015 and 2016 to head to conflict-ravaged
NewsAFP NewsStock markets retreat on revived trade concerns
Stock markets slid lower Wednesday on revived concerns for a China-US trade deal after US lawmakers passed legislation to support Hong Kong civil rights, sparking anger in Beijing. On top of that, US President Donald Trump threatened higher tariffs on Chinese goods should a mini trade pact with Beijing
- FinanceReuters
SAP founder and chairman sells 100 million euro stake, holding now 6.2%
Hasso Plattner, co-founder and chairman of German software house SAP, has sold a stake worth around 100 million euros ($111 million), putting a slight dent in his multi-billion-euro holding. The divestment, disclosed in a series of regulatory filings, would reduce Plattner's holding in Europe'
