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Airbnb expands into hotels, cars, groceries
Airbnb, facing tighter local regulations on short-term home rentals, announced Wednesday it is adding boutique hotels, car rentals and grocery delivery to its app in a bid to transform itself into a one-stop travel shop.
Opposition backlash as Macron's choice gets nod for central bank
French lawmakers on Wednesday narrowly approved President Emmanuel Macron's ex-chief of staff as central bank governor, as the far-right opposition accused the outgoing head of state of seeking to freeze it out from key institutions.
Boss of Germany's Commerzbank cheered as she slams UniCredit advances
German lender Commerzbank's boss was applauded at a shareholder meeting Wednesday as she slammed Italian bank UniCredit's hostile takeover bid, while staff outside the venue protested against any potential merger.
French presidential candidate Philippe targeted in embezzlement probe
French investigators are probing allegations of embezzlement involving high-profile presidential candidate Edouard Philippe over the allocation of a digital hub contract in the northern port city of Le Havre where he is mayor, prosecutors have said.
Samsung union says South Korea strike on hold 'until further notice'
Samsung Electronics workers' union said late Wednesday that a planned strike had been put on hold until further notice after negotiations with management resumed with the participation of Seoul's labour minister.
UK inflation drops ahead of expected war-fuelled jump
Britain's annual inflation rate fell more than expected in April, largely due to a drop in energy prices in the months before the Middle East war, official data showed Wednesday.
Alibaba unveils new AI chip as Nvidia access remains stalled
Tech giant Alibaba released on Wednesday a new artificial intelligence chip it said performed three times as well as its predecessor, showcasing growing domestic chipmaker prowess as US titan Nvidia struggles for access to China.
Oil retreats, stocks rise on cautious Mideast war hopes
Oil prices slid and European stock markets advanced Wednesday after a South Korean tanker passed through the Strait of Hormuz, easing concerns about the apparent impasse between the US and Iran on ending the war in the Middle East.
UK climate advisers urge setting maximum working temperature
Climate change experts urged the UK to set maximum temperature rules for workplaces and adapt hospitals and schools to a warming planet in a report published Wednesday.
Stellantis signs Europe joint venture with China's Dongfeng
Jeep and Fiat owner Stellantis said Wednesday that it had formed a joint venture with China's Dongfeng to share manufacturing, sales and engineering operations in Europe.
Samsung, union resume negotiations with minister mediating
Samsung Electronics and its workers' union resumed talks Wednesday with South Korea's labour minister mediating, after earlier talks aimed at averting a strike collapsed.
DR Congo fishermen resort to trawling plastic waste
The mighty Congo River feeds millions of people along its course through the vast Democratic Republic of Congo but fishermen near the capital now find more plastic than fish in their nets.
Union calls strike at South Korea chip giant Samsung Electronics
A planned strike at South Korean chip giant Samsung Electronics will go ahead from Thursday, its union said, after talks on bonus payouts collapsed, raising concerns over a disruption to the country's key semiconductor industry.
Union calls strike at S. Korea chip giant Samsung Electronics
The labour union at South Korean chip giant Samsung Electronics said Wednesday it would launch a planned strike after talks over bonus payouts collapsed.
Asia stocks slide on inflation fears as yields surge
Asian markets fell Wednesday as surging bond yields and stubborn inflation concerns knocked an investor confidence already shaken by US President Donald Trump's renewed threats of striking Iran.
Under Trump pressure, EU agrees to implement US trade pact
EU lawmakers and member states reached a deal in the early hours of Wednesday to implement the bloc's nearly year-old trade pact with the United States, with President Donald Trump threatening new tariffs unless it is done by July 4.
US enforces law to crack down on sexual deepfakes
The United States on Tuesday began enforcing a law requiring tech platforms to remove sexual deepfakes and other non-consensual intimate imagery, but experts warned of shortcomings and raised online censorship concerns.
New York art auctions roar back with blockbuster sales
With record prices for Jackson Pollock, Constantin Brancusi and Mark Rothko, New York's spring auctions are soaring, confirming a trend that began in late 2025: blockbuster sales are back.
Under Trump pressure, EU seeks deal to end trade standoff
The EU headed into late-night talks Tuesday seeking a deal towards implementing its nearly year-old trade pact with the United States -- with an impatient President Donald Trump threatening steep new tariffs unless it is done by July 4.
Airbus seeks to cut peripheral expenses due to Mideast war
European aviation giant Airbus has asked its teams to cut "non-essential expenses" by 10 percent due to turbulence following the Middle East war, according to a document seen by AFP.
Oil dips, stocks mixed after Trump holds off on Iran attack
Oil prices eased Tuesday but remained above $100 a barrel while stocks wavered as investors tracked a potential deal between the US and Iran to end a war that has sent energy prices soaring.
France says G7 finance talks 'frank, sometimes difficult'
France's finance minister acknowledged Tuesday that two days of talks among leading global economies were "sometimes difficult", even as the group agreed a statement committing to multilateral cooperation in combatting growing economic risks.
Stocks rise, oil dips after Trump holds off on Iran attack
Stock markets mostly rose Tuesday as investors tracked easing oil prices and cautious optimism over a potential deal between the US and Iran to end a war that has sent energy prices soaring.
Germany starts sale of bailed-out energy firm Uniper
Germany had started the process to sell most of its stake in energy giant Uniper, the government said Tuesday, more than three years after nationalising the company following its near collapse amid the Ukraine war.
Germany starts sales process for bailed-out energy firm Uniper
Germany had started the process to sell most of its stake in energy giant Uniper, the government said Tuesday, more than three years after nationalising the company following its near collapse amid the Ukraine war.
Tech stocks retreat, oil dips after Trump holds off on Iran attack
Asian markets wavered Tuesday, with tech stocks leading losses as investors tracked easing oil prices and cautious optimism over a potential US-Iran deal.
Stellantis joins race to build mini-EVs for Europe
Stellantis, owner of the Jeep and Fiat brands, announced Tuesday that it would start building smaller, low-cost electric cars for the European market, where demand for clean-energy vehicles has fallen short of automakers' hopes.
Japan economy grows faster than expected in first quarter
Japanese economic growth surpassed expectations at the start of 2026, official data showed on Tuesday, but Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is mulling an extra budget as concerns grow over inflation due to the Middle East war.
China market for Nvidia AI chips to open 'over time': Huang
Nvidia boss Jensen Huang expects China to eventually open its market to high-end US chips that can train and run artificial intelligence systems.
Asian markets cautious, oil dips after Trump holds off on Iran attack
Asian markets were mixed Tuesday as oil prices eased on hopes of a US-Iran deal, though elevated crude levels capped investor appetite for risk.
Fans of historic DC park wary of Trump plan to 'beautify' city
Every Sunday, percussionists, dancers and everyday residents of the US capital gather in a Washington park for a drum circle -- a decades-old tradition that historically celebrated Black liberation.
As bee population collapses, US apiarists fear research cuts
In a lot behind a disused West Virginia gas station at the foot of the Appalachian Mountains, Roy Funkhouser is surrounded by about a dozen beekeepers and countless buzzing bees.