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'Malfunction' cuts power in Ukraine. Here's what we know

Ukraine and Moldova experienced mass power outages on Saturday after a "technical malfunction" caused electrical lines between the two countries and Romania to fail, according to officials.

Women in ties return as feminism faces pushback

Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Bella Hadid, Oprah Winfrey: women entertainers and models are reviving the necktie, a symbol of male power, at a time when feminism is under attack.

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Britain's Starmer ends China trip aimed at reset despite Trump warning

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer wrapped up a four-day trip to China on Saturday, after his bid to forge closer ties prompted warnings from US President Donald Trump.

China factory activity loses steam in January

China's factory activity slowed in January, official data showed Saturday, missing forecasts after a brief rise into positive territory at the end of last year.

Melania Trump's atypical, divisive doc opens in theatres

"Melania," the Amazon MGM-produced documentary following the typically guarded US first lady as she prepares for her husband Donald's second inauguration, opened in theatres Friday.

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump Fed pick

Gold and silver prices dived Friday and European stock markets ended the week up while Wall Street pulled back with investors reassured by US President Donald Trump's pick to take over as head of the Federal Reserve.

US Senate votes on funding deal - but shutdown still imminent

US senators began voting Friday on a deal backed by President Donald Trump to avert the worst impact of an imminent government shutdown, after a Republican holdout lifted his block following tense talks.

Trump expects Iran to seek deal to avoid US strikes

President Donald Trump predicted on Friday that Iran would seek to negotiate a deal rather than face American military action, despite Tehran warning that its arsenal of missiles would never be up for discussion.

Fela Kuti: first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award

Nigeria's Afrobeat king Fela Kuti will this weekend be posthumously recognised by the Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction.

Cubans queue for fuel as Trump issues oil ultimatum

Cubans queued around the block for fuel Friday as the island's Communist government decried US efforts to "suffocate" the already‑stricken economy with a virtual oil blockade.

France rescues over 6,000 UK-bound Channel migrants in 2025

French authorities rescued more than 6,000 migrants attempting to reach Britain in small boats last year, while 25 people died and two remain missing, the maritime prefecture said Friday in its annual report.

Analysts say Kevin Warsh a safe choice for US Fed chair

Former Federal Reserve governor Kevin Warsh is a safe pair of hands to steer the US central bank, analysts said Friday, flagging his track record on Wall Street and with the Fed.

Fela Kuti to be first African to get Grammys Lifetime Achievement Award

Nigeria's Afrobeat king Fela Kuti will this weekend be posthumously recognised by the Grammys with a Lifetime Achievement Award, becoming the first African artist to receive the distinction.

Trump picks former US Fed official as next central bank chief

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nominating Kevin Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor, to be the next US central bank chief.

Gold, silver prices tumble as investors soothed by Trump's Fed pick

Gold and silver prices dived Friday and European stock markets climbed, while Wall Street opened just into the red with investors reassured by US President Donald Trump's pick to take over as head of the Federal Reserve.

Social media fuels surge in UK men seeking testosterone jabs

Social media claims by clinics promoting testosterone treatment for men to improve their physique and mood are driving large numbers to pay for unnecessary medication that can have serious side effects, doctors say.

Trump nominates former US Fed official as next central bank chief

US President Donald Trump announced Friday that he is nominating Kevin Warsh, a former Federal Reserve governor, to be the next US central bank chief.

Chad, France eye economic cooperation as they reset strained ties

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno and his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron have agreed to renew relations between the two countries that were strained after Chad abruptly broke off military cooperation.

Artist chains up thrashing robot dog to expose AI fears

The agile robot dog springs up on all fours, takes a step forward and charges at the tense crowd at a Tokyo exhibit, held back by a simple yet strong metal chain.

Dutch watchdog launches Roblox probe over 'risks to children'

The Dutch consumer watchdog Friday launched an investigation into Roblox to see if the popular gaming platform was doing enough to protect children amid reports they are exposed to violent and sexual imagery.

Panama court annuls Hong Kong firm's canal port concession

Panama's Supreme Court annulled on Thursday the concession allowing Hong Kong-based CK Hutchison to operate ports at the Panama Canal, a year after US President Donald Trump threatened to seize the crucial passageway claiming China controlled it.

Asian stocks hit by fresh tech fears as gold retreats from peak

Asian stocks sank Friday amid fresh worries over vast investments in artificial intelligence, gold and silver tumbled after hitting multiple record highs and oil retreated on hopes for an easing of US-Iran tensions.

With Trump administration watching, Canada oil hub faces separatist bid

On a frigid night in Canada's oil capital, Jordan Fritz joined a rally of thousands for a separatist movement once considered a sideshow, but which is now drawing interest from US President Donald Trump's administration.

What are the key challenges awaiting the new US Fed chair?

Federal Reserve chief Jerome Powell's successor could be named as soon as next week, President Donald Trump said Thursday, setting the stage for a major shift in the US central bank's leadership.

US Senate rejects vote to avert government shutdown

A US government funding shutdown looked increasingly certain Thursday after Senate Democrats rejected a key procedural vote to express anger over the killing of two protesters against President Donald Trump's hardline immigration crackdown.

Waymo gears up to launch robotaxis in London this year

US self-driving car company Waymo said Thursday it is working with UK partners to launch driverless robotaxis in London, which are expected to begin operating later this year.

French IT group Capgemini under fire over ICE links

A contract with American Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has triggered a barrage of criticism of French IT services company Capgemini in the wake of killings and other incidents involving US border officials.

Czechs wind up black coal mining in green energy switch

The Czech Republic will stop mining black coal at the end of January, closing its last mine in a switch to greener energy sources, state mining company OKD said Thursday.

EU eyes migration clampdown with push on deportations, visas

The European Union on Thursday laid out plans to overhaul its visa system and step up deportations as part of a five-year migration strategy that cements a hardening line on the hot-button issue.

Northern Mozambique: massive gas potential in an insurgency zone

Construction on a stalled $20-billion gas project by TotalEnergies in Mozambique officially resumed Thursday, nearly five years after it was suspended due to a deadly jihadist attack.

Gold demand hits record high on Trump policy doubts: industry

Gold demand surged to a record high in 2025 as investors and central banks flocked to the safe-haven asset as protection against US President Donald Trump's unpredictable policies and their potential economic impact, industry data showed Thursday.

UK drugs giant AstraZeneca announces $15 bn investment in China

British pharmaceutical group AstraZeneca said Thursday that it would invest $15 billion in China through 2030 to expand its medicines manufacturing and research, during a trip by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to Beijing.

Ghana moves to rewrite mining laws for bigger share of gold revenues

Ghana is preparing to overhaul its mining laws to increase its share of the revenues generated by the surge in the precious metal's price, sparking concern among foreign mining companies in Africa's top gold producer.

Russia's sanctioned oil firm Lukoil to sell foreign assets to Carlyle

Russia's oil giant Lukoil, sanctioned by Washington over the Ukraine war, said Thursday that it would sell its foreign assets to the US investment firm The Carlyle Group.

The Japan Times - Economy (English)