AFP
13876 articles published since 08 Mar 2022
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New post-Brexit customs checks spark UK border worries
The UK will finally roll out post-Brexit border checks Wednesday on food, plant and animal products imported from the European Union, fanning fears of more price hikes, empty shelves and even Valentine's Day flower shortages. From Wednesday, companies must present certificates for sanitary and phytosanitary imports at the UK border.
'Taylor Swift' searches blocked on X after AI porn outrage
Some searches including the terms "Taylor Swift" on X turned up no results on Monday after the company, formerly known as Twitter, apparently moved to prevent the spread of AI-generated porn videos using the star's likeness. Certain queries attempted by AFP that included the megastar's name, such as "Taylor Swift AI," triggered messages saying "something went wrong."
Sotheby's sales drop in 2023 after record year
Storied auction house Sotheby's reported on Monday that sales had dipped last year to $7.9 billion, down $100 million from the record-breaking 2022 which was lifted by pent-up demand following the pandemic.
Renault slams brakes on listing of Ampere EV division
French automaker Renault said Monday that it was halting the initial public offering of its EV unit Ampere, saying market conditions were unfavourable to list the company's shares. Ampere launched in November 2023 and plans were to list the unit's shares on the stock exchange in the first half of 2024 at an estimated valuation of eight to 10 billion euros, or as much as Renault.
Fixing food could produce trillions in annual benefits: report
The ways food is produced and consumed across the world is racking up hidden costs in health impacts and environmental damage amounting to some 12 percent of world GDP a year, according to a new report Monday.
Amazon scraps buyout of iRobot vacuum maker after EU objections
Amazon on Monday said it was dropping its plans to buy the iRobot vacuum maker after the EU's antitrust authority objected to the plan over competition concerns. The EU said it was especially concerned that Amazon's role as the world's preeminent internet retail hub would allow it to crush competition from other vacuum-makers seeking online buyers.
Historic German store KaDeWe files for insolvency
Iconic Berlin department store KaDeWe said Monday it had filed for insolvency, as rising rental prices in Germany left it struggling to stay afloat. Its iconic status has seen it become the subject of a television series in Germany, which dramatised the lives of employees at the up-market department store.
Buried in massive debt, Italy puts crown jewels up for sale
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni once declared Italy's postal service a "crown jewel" that must stay in state hands, but she is now selling a stake as part of a privatisation programme to tackle a huge public debt. Nevertheless, the decision to sell a stake in the postal service to foreign investors marks a shift from a statement she made in 2018, four years before becoming prime minister.
Italy reveals energy, migration plan at Africa summit
African leaders gathered at a Rome summit on Monday to hear Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's much-hyped plan for the continent, aimed at transforming Italy into an energy hub -- and stopping migration. The summit comes just months after Russia held its own summit with African leaders.
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